Sacred Heart Academy
by xrocksx
Summary: Jade's being sent to a Catholic boarding school. She's far from happy, but there she meets someone that might help her find what she needs. In turn, she might give Cat something she never expected.
1. Chapter 1

Jade sat in silence in the back of the car. She hadn't said anything the whole ride. She had nothing to say to these people; her aunt and uncle. They had said some words here and there, but had given up on pretending. _Just as well_, Jade thought. She didn't want to hear and be annoyed by their voices and what she knew were lies. She hated this and her new guardians, especially for what they were doing to her. _They should be sending themselves away_, Jade thought bitterly. She stared out the window, a small scowl on her stoic face. She saw the passing greenery, but didn't register any of it. She wondered if she could run off after they dropped her off. She fantasized about grabbing some of her belongings and leaving. She could probably trade food and shelter for manual labor until she figured out what to do. She daydreamed about a variety of escape plans as they drove the remaining distance to the boarding school. She clenched her jaw when the tall, brownstone building came into view. She saw that her hopes of running away were foiled as her uncle kept driving along the gravel road that led up to the entrance. As they got closer, Jade could see some people already waiting for them. He drove around the circle in the middle that housed a small garden and fountain and stopped in front of the entrance. There she saw a priest, two nuns and a groundskeeper, who held on to a dolly. They stood up straight; the nuns had their hands clasped inside their habits and the priest held his intertwined behind his back. Jade rolled her eyes. She already detested them. "Well, Jade, we're here," said her uncle.

Jade turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes. She decided not to waste her saliva on making a remark. She had no interest in the man; she didn't plan on exchanging a single word with him. _I can see that you idiot_, she thought as she turned back and placed her hand on the door handle. She opened the door and got out, merely because she had no other choice. She would make a run for it, but she had too much dignity and pride for that. She chided herself for that absurd thought. She was too good for this, she thought. For any of them. She straightened her posture and steeled herself; she wasn't going to be a weakling. And at this point she knew she had to resign herself to the fact that this was her fate. She had no other choice...for now. Soon enough they would despise her and want her out of their school anyway. She had a little smirk at the thought. Her uncle went to the back of the car, opened it and took out her suitcases and trunk. The groundskeeper went to help her uncle with her bags. Her aunt got out too and made idle chat about the weather with the priest and nuns. Jade took this time to observe them from the corner of her eyes. The priest was a tall man with graying hair. Despite his graying mane, he looked young. He appeared to be in his mid to late forties. He wasn't a bad looking guy at all. Some women might even call him handsome. He tried to keep himself in shape. The black robe hid most of the contours of his figure, but the sleeves bulged at his shoulders and biceps. Jade had expected something much different; some decrepit old guy that looked like he had an iron rod up his ass. If she saw this guy on the street, she never would have guessed him to be a priest. She briefly wondered if he'd had a couple of affairs before entering the cloth. Or even after.

After the other man had finished placing her baggage on the dolly, he set off with it. Jade watched him for a moment as he disappeared into the building. He looked to be about the same age, or somewhat older than the priest. Except this man was more physically worn than the priest. Certainly he had always been a man of manual labor. Her uncle closed the back door of the car and went to stand next to Jade. "Take care of our Jade," he said and patted her back.

She felt disgusted by his fake concern. He squeezed her shoulder and smiled. "Behave," he said playfully, but underneath it Jade clearly caught the warning tone; which of course she planned on ignoring.

Her aunt then walked over to her and hugged her. Another fake display of affection. She smiled at Jade and told her goodbye. The whole time Jade remained silent with her arms limp at her side. She didn't even bother to turn and watch them load into the car and drive off. "Welcome to your new home, Jade," the priest said, smiling. "I'm Father Eichner and I'm also the principal of the school."

He indicated to the first nun, "This is Sister Mary Rose."

The nun smiled and greeted Jade. She was plump but not fat, she was of average height, her skin was light and her cheeks rosy. She wasn't an ugly nun but Jade probably wouldn't go around stealing glances at her. She was in her early thirties. She was dressed in a brownish red habit. Jade couldn't see her hair but figured she was a brunette by her eyebrows. "She is in charge of the floor where you will be rooming," the priest said.

Then he indicated to the second nun. She was taller, only a couple of inches shorter than Father Eichner, older, slimmer and darker than the first one. She wore the same brownish red habit as the other nun. Her face was serious. Jade imagined by her erect stance and her face that she was a strict, not-afraid-to-deliver-corporal-punishment kind of nun. "This is Sister Amelia."

The tall woman smiled politely and welcomed her to Sacred Heart Academy. Jade was informed that she was in charge of the other nuns, female students and she was also the Vice Principal. This was obviously a woman of importance and rank in the school. Jade wondered in passing if all the new students got a personal introduction to the principal and vice principal. She didn't care either way. So far Jade had stayed quiet and only looked at them with disinterest. Internally she had shortly been mildly interested by their appearance but she wouldn't show that to them. Father Eichner indicated for them to head inside. "Your belongings will be waiting for you in your room. Sister Mary Rose will show you around and to your room. If you have any questions or concern don't hesitate to ask her or any of the faculty and staff. We're here to help," he finished as they crossed the wide, open doors to the school.

The doors opened into a luxurious Victorian style lobby area. Three big sofas sat to the left, surrounding an expensive-looking, thick, oak wood coffee table. To the left of the entrance and next to the sitting area was a door with a yellow stained glass window marked 'Main Office.' "Now if you'll excuse me, my work awaits me," he said and bid them farewell.

He entered the Main Office door and disappeared. "As you can see, that's the main office," Sister Mary Rose explained, "That's where Father Eichner's office is, as well as Sister Amelia's office. You will also find the nurse's office and administration there. We can come back for your schedule if you would like to look around first."

Jade shook her head. "Let's get it over with," she said bluntly.

The sooner she could be done with all of it and be alone in her room the better. Sister Mary Rose was taken aback by Jade's brashness but quickly recovered. She nodded and the three of them entered the main office. Once in there Sister Amelia parted ways since she also had work to do and Sister Mary Rose could take it from there. Jade didn't miss the apprehensive look Sister Amelia gave her. She could already tell Jade would be a problem. Sister Mary Rose and Jade walked toward the woman behind the big, tall, half-moon counter. She was a stern, round-looking woman who did not bother smiling. Sister Mary Rose introduced her as Margaret O'Malley. She did not wear a habit, as she was not a nun. She took on the administrative duties of the school. "Of course there are other staff members to take care of certain duties," Sister Mary Rose explained.

Jade tuned her out. She couldn't care less about the school and its employees. Jade looked at the serious face of the woman sitting in front of her. She could tell they wouldn't like each other but she had to, secretly, appreciate the fact that the woman wasn't pretending to be cheery and that Jade wouldn't be the only miserable one here. Margaret O'Malley probably hated all the students, Jade figured. Maybe even the nuns and priests. She barely even acknowledged them as she pulled up Jade's schedule and handed it over. After acquiring her schedule, they headed out of the office. Sister Mary Rose cursorily showed Jade around, showing her the cafeteria, giving her directions to where her classes would be, showing her one of the gardens and, in between, told her some of the rules. She took this time to mention that Jade would need to remove her eyebrow piercing and rid herself of the blue dyed highlights.

Finally, Jade felt some relief as Sister Mary Rose showed her to her room. Once they arrived at their floor, which was the second level, Sister Mary Rose indicated which door belonged to her. Then she walked to Jade's. Sister Mary Rose left her as Jade entered her new room. She noticed the door had no lock and raised her eyebrows wondering what that was about. Jade looked around the room. It wasn't too big but it wasn't too bad either. The school got good money from parents, alma maters and donations from their patrons, not counting the tuition, so each student had their own room. It also helped that the school wasn't terribly populated. Having a room to herself was the only thing Jade was grateful for. To the right of the room, in front of the entrance, was the twin bed. To the left of the entrance, on the same wall as the door, was a desk placed against the wall. On the left wall, a couple of feet from the desk, was the door of the closet. On the opposite wall from the door was the only window in the room, underneath it was a night stand, part of the bed laid under the window as well. On the opposite side of the bed, to the right of the closet, was a dark wood dresser. Her trunk sat at the foot of the bed, her bigger suitcases were neatly placed by the trunk on the floor and the smaller one was on the bed. She walked over to the bed and moved the suitcase from the bed to the top of the trunk. Then threw herself on the bed. She had no interest in unpacking.


	2. Chapter 2

A persistent knock at the door woke Jade up. She groaned and groggily wiped her eyes. Annoyed at being woken up, she stalked to the door and swung it open, already scowling at whoever was on the other side. Sister Mary Rose stood there, looking at the half asleep, grumpy student.

"Dinner is being served," Sister Mary Rose amiably informed Jade.

Jade, whose accusing narrowed eyes were still adjusting to the light from the hall, only nodded. She didn't want to leave the room and be surrounded by people, but she had barely touched breakfast and had skipped lunch; she was famished. She stepped out and closed the door behind her. She followed Sister Mary Rose, who had already started on her way, figuring that's where she was headed as well. Having seen only two girls heading in the same direction, Jade guessed dinner had started moments ago and she was late. That was probably why Sister Mary Rose had gone up for her, she deduced.

At the entrance to the cafeteria, Sister Mary Rose half turned to Jade and casually said, "You should remove that piercing by tomorrow. There is hair colorant in the main office if you need it."

She turned back around and entered the cafeteria. Jade rolled her eyes and followed in. Wide double wood doors opened to a well lit room with cream colored walls. The dining hall was big. It had a tall arching ceiling with several supporting beams and low hanging soft lights. Two of the walls were donned with Victorian arching windows. There were rows of reddish brown picnic tables and at the back were several brown round tables with individual chairs; where the faculty and staff sat. The serving area was to the left of the entrance and the carts, where the dirty trays went, to the right against the wall. Sister Mary Rose had gone to sit at one of the round tables, where her food was awaiting her return. There were students spread throughout the cafeteria, most of whom had already eaten a portion of their meal. Jade saw her assumption had been correct. She walked over to the serving section. Her stomach growled at the sight and smell of the food. There were many things Jade hated in life; food was not one of them. The food was fresh and prepared daily, made by people with experience and an affinity for cooking. Jade grabbed a brown plastic tray, plate and utensils and waited for the other girl in line to move. Out of the options offered to her, she grabbed a roll, salad,mashed potatoes and sautéed chicken. At the end, where the bottled drinks and a drink machine were, she served herself iced tea in a clear plastic cup. She picked up her tray, turned around and briefly scanned the dining area, then headed to the back. The picnic tables closest to the round tables were less occupied. She sat on the empty far side of a table.

She concentrated on her food but was aware some glances were thrown her way. She had also noticed eyes on her as she entered the cafeteria and when she headed to take a seat. She figured new kids weren't too common. Her appearance adding to their interest. She dug into her food; it was as good as it looked. At least there was one good thing about this place, she berated internally. After she finished, she got up and went back to the serving area, considering seconds. She decided against it but got a small bowl of fruit for dessert. The dessert area also included pastries but they looked too sweet for her taste. Once more, Jade felt stares on her. She ignored them, returned to her seat and ate her fruit. Just as she was finishing, Sister Mary Rose walked up to her table. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner," she said to Jade.

Jade rolled her eyes and looked up. "Unfortunately we can't get your uniform tomorrow because the offices will be closed due to mass," she said, then added, "If you forget the times, there is a schedule on the bulletin board in your dorm hall and the times are also posted outside the church. You can get your uniform Monday morning before classes."

After Sister Mary Rose was done addressing her new charge, she smiled and walked away. Jade huffed and grabbed her tray; after disposing of it, she headed back to her room. She closed the door behind her and looked at the suitcases. She still had no interest in unpacking. She looked up at the ceiling. A fire alarm. She walked to the window, pushed the curtains aside and opened it. Her room was above a porch that was about three feet wide and extended all across the wall, where it connected with the roof of a walkway. This was quite ideal. She decided to stay indoors until she got a better look at the porch and roof. She pushed the window further out, opening it wider, and walked back to her trunk. She pushed off the suitcase she had placed on top of it earlier, then took out a key from her jeans pocket and opened the trunk. After moving some items around, she took out a packet of Marlboros and a lighter from the spot she had neatly placed them in. She straightened up and looked at the fire alarm again. She briefly wondered if she should cover it as an extra precaution, but decided against it; if she caused the fire alarm to go off it would be a good thing. She walked back to the window, moved the lamp that sat on the nightstand and sat on it. She took out a cigarette, placed it between her lips and lit it up. Leaning on the wall, where the window hinged, she looked out into the night. She took a slow, long drag from her cigarette, reveling as the smoke traveled from her throat to her lungs. She slowly blew out the remaining smoke. She stayed like that until she smoked all of her cigarette. She put out the butt and left it on the windowsill. She leaned her back and head onto the wall, lifted her left foot up and sat with her left leg bent, her boot digging into the night stand. She decided against a second cigarette and just looked out the window, enjoying the cool air coming from outside. She stared at the bright stars for a while, until she was forced to clench her jaw and close her eyes due to the silence and unwanted thoughts. She quickly composed herself. She opened her eyes and took a shaky breath. She got up, put the lamp back on the nightstand, then closed the curtains but left the window open, after pulling it in a little. She didn't feel like taking out her bedding and replacing it with the one provided, so she simply got out of her clothes, throwing them blindly on the floor, only staying in her panties. She retrieved the cigarettes and lighter from where she had left them on the nightstand, then returned them to their original place and locked the trunk. She didn't care about getting caught but she didn't want her cigarettes to be confiscated. Even if she did have more packs. After securing her trunk she got under the sheets. Despite her afternoon nap, she drifted off to sleep after a short while of ignoring every thought in her head.

* * *

The sun streamed through openings in the curtains, a light breeze pushing them off the open window. Jade groaned at the light that hit her closed eyelids. Based on the bright light, it was at least nine. Jade didn't care either way. She had no intention of getting out of bed. She rolled on to her other side and attempted to get more sleep.

She woke up again about an hour later. She turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. After a moment, she threw the blankets aside and got up. She rummaged through her suitcases to get a towel, flip flops and an oversized black shirt she used for sleeping. She put on the shirt and slipped on her flip flops. From another bag she pulled out her toiletries, placing them on a toiletry carrying box. She threw her dark grey towel over her right shoulder and walked out, toiletries in hand. She headed to the right, where the restrooms and showers were at the end of the hall, which were separate. The facilities were well maintained. The walls were painted a light, earthy brown, halfway down the wall it was tiled. In front of the entrance were wooden walls and benches for dressing. To the right, on the wall where the door was, was a long counter with an equally long mirror and several outlets. At the end of the counter were two sinks and in front of the counter, far off the wall, was the row of showers, which had frosted glass doors. The showers weren't too big but definitely roomy. The floor was stone tiles of various sizes. The showers were all empty. She walked over to the first one, hung the towel on a hook next to the door and got in. Inside the shower, to the left, on the corner, there was a small platform. Jade imagined it was to place whatever toiletries one brought. She placed her carrying box there and started to undress. She hung her shirt and panties on the door, stood off to the side and twisted on the knobs. She placed her palm under the water, adjusting it until the temperature was as she liked it. She stood under the water and let it soak her hair and alabaster body.

After she was done, she wrung her hair and grabbed her towel. She wiped off some of her body then wrapped the towel around herself. She grabbed her toiletry box and clothes and headed out. Back in the room she threw her clothes on the desk chair and put the box on the floor next to the desk. She opened up a suitcase and took out clothes to change into, including black jeans, socks, a black tank top and a blue, grey and black plaid shirt. She changed into everything except the plaid shirt. She took out a two by two mirror she had carefully packed into her trunk and put it on top of the desk, leaning it on the wall. She did her hair and then her makeup, applying eyeliner and some black eye shadow. She had excellent skin so she rarely put on foundation. In fact she didn't need any makeup, but she loved darkening her eyes and the eye makeup made her eyes pop. She swiveled on her chair and looked at her baggage. She should probably unpack, she thought. She got up and took out her phone out of yesterday's jeans pocket and discarded them again. 11:25. She vaguely recalled Sister Mary Rose telling her lunch was served at noon. She decided to kill some time by unpacking some of her things.

At noon she stopped and headed down to the dining hall. This time she sat on the empty side of a table that was close to the entrance. Half way through her lunch Sister Mary Rose stood in front of her table. "Good afternoon, Jade," she greeted.

Chewing on her food, Jade looked up with disinterest. She swallowed the food and stared at Sister Mary Rose. After realizing Jade wouldn't greet her back, Sister Mary Rose said, "We can take care of your highlights today. After you're done with your meal, we can go pick up a box of hair colorant."

Jade looked at her for a moment, licking a back molar, and then said, "I already washed my hair."

Sister Amelia was passing by the table, on her way to the exit, but stopped as Jade spoke. She gave Sister Mary Rose a look that made her leave. Sister Amelia sat on the bench in front of Jade. "You can go tomorrow morning before classes when you go pick up your uniform. The clothing office is located inside the main office. Mrs. O'Malley can show you. You can take care of your hair after school so you don't miss any classes," Sister Amelia finished and glanced at Jade's pierced eyebrow.

"I can take care of that piercing right now," she said, extending her hand, palm up, toward Jade.

Jade flexed her jaw and reached for her piercing. She removed it and gave Sister Amelia an are-you-happy-now look then put the piercing in her pocket. Sister Amelia stood up and pleasantly said, "Enjoy your meal, Jade."

Jade watched her off with narrowed eyes. She sighed and continued eating. Her piercing would be closed by tomorrow.

* * *

After she finished with lunch, she headed back up to the room to finish unpacking. She had taken out her iPod and speakers earlier, now she picked a playlist and blasted her music. By the time dinner came around she was almost done unpacking. She turned off the iPod and headed down to the dining hall. There was soup. Jade hated most soups. She moved along and grabbed her food and drink. She sat down on the emptiest table she could find. During her meal she got another visit from Sister Amelia. "Good evening," Sister Amelia greeted and sat down.

"I beg to differ," Jade responded.

Sister Amelia disregarded her comment and said, "I didn't see you in church today."

Jade crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I didn't feel like catching on fire."

She watched Sister Amelia's face. Her face was still rigid, but softer than before. Jade noted this woman was not an open book. She had mastered the curves, shifts and twitches of her face. Without any change in her demeanor or voice Sister Amelia responded, "I understand you're not a practicing Catholic but you must attend mass every Sunday. . . You might find something that speaks to you. God has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect Him."

"Hm. Sounds like a stalker," Jade said nonchalantly.

Sister Amelia stood up, smiled politely and said, "Have a good night, Jade."

She turned around and left. Jade watched her off with a raised eyebrow. She briefly wondered if Sister Amelia got off on the challenge.

After dinner Jade finished unpacking. She sat by the open window in her underwear and oversized shirt smoking a cigarette. She liked how bright the starts looked in the dark sky. The sky was so polluted by light in Los Angeles that she never got such a nice view of the stars. After finishing her first cigarette she pulled out a second. She didn't stare at the sky for too long. She looked down at the garden, greenery and benches outside her room. She looked at the buildings, the walkway, the tree tops from the forest far off, and the bell tower. She looked at everything but not for too long. She couldn't look at anything for a long time. Staring led to an empty mind, and an empty mind led to thinking. After she finished her second cigarette she decided to go to sleep. She had an early morning. She put the lamp back on the nightstand and walked back to the trunk where she put away her cigarettes. She walked back to the window and closed the curtains, cutting off the light from the moon, making sure to be careful as she got into bed. After setting the alarm on her phone, she tried to get comfortable on the bed. The mattress wasn't cheap but they could do better. As Jade drifted to sleep, she drowsily wondered if she should get a new bed. She would like something bigger than a single, too.

She was woken up by one of her favorite songs. She stretched out her arm from under the covers and reached for her phone, pressed the off button and dropped her phone on the pillow. She laid there for a moment, but then groaned and forced herself to get up before she fell asleep again. Jade hated mornings. She was a night owl. She skipped showering and threw on a bra, a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a black Rolling Stones shirt. She put on her short boots, fixed her hair and put on some makeup. She finished off her look with several jelly black bracelets on both wrists. Then she headed down to the main office. She walked through the door and up to Margaret O'Malley's desk. "I'm here for my uniform," Jade said.

Without looking up from her work, the woman pointed to the right, behind her, with the pen she held in her hand. Jade walked around the desk and down the hall. She peered into the first door she saw open. The first half of the door was pulled back, open. The bottom half was closed and it had a small counter top. Jade walked to it and could see metal racks with clothes on the shelves. She leaned on the counter top and looked inside. To the left was a woman sitting at a desk. The woman saw her and, smiling, stood up. This woman was a stark contrast to Margaret O'Malley. She was a sandy blonde with light brown eyes. She was taller than Jade and was slim. She wore a navy polo shirt and khakis. She was cheerful. "Hi, how can I help you?" she asked.

"Came for my uniform," Jade said flatly.

"Are you new?" the woman asked.

Jade nodded. "All right," she said. "Step back a little, please."

Jade raised her eyebrow but didn't ask and complied. The blonde gave her a once over.

"Hmm," the woman said and moved to her left, where a table with some clothes was.

She pulled out a navy skirt and a white dress shirt. "Here, try this out," she said, handing the clothes over to Jade.

"The restroom is down the hall to the right," she said and smiled.

Jade walked down to the restroom. She stopped at the door with the blue circle with a woman drawn on it and walked in. It was a three stall restroom. And like everything else in this place, it was nice. Jade walked to the farthest stall and got in. She changed into the skirt and shirt. She walked out and looked at herself in the mirror and raised her previously pierced eyebrow. This woman had a good eye. The skirt fit her nicely and comfortably. The shirt fit her perfectly. It wasn't loose or too tight and her breasts weren't pushing the buttons and making an opening in the shirt. She went back into the stall and changed into her clothing. She walked back to the half opened door. "Fits fine," Jade informed the blonde.

She smiled and nodded. She walked to the counter, took the uniform from Jade and put it back on the table she got it from. The woman walked to the racks and pulled out several different plastic wrapped packages. After she had accumulated a couple she went back to the door. She started placing them on the counter top in a neat pile; Jade saw blue, grey and white plaid cloth. Then she went back for more. The woman made a couple of trips, piling more packages. Jade raised her eyebrow at the large amount of clothes. She wondered if she could even carry all of this back up to her room. The woman chuckled and proceeded to list off the items. "You get two short sleeve dress shirts and two long sleeve, two navy skirts and two plaids. One plaid, one navy and one black tie.A navy blazer and a navy cardigan. One pair of white, one blue and one black knee high socks. That's your uniform. You can use your own socks; any size is fine, but only in those three colors. You also get a white, a blue and a gray polo shirt. You can only wear those on Fridays or on your own time. And two sets of P.E. uniforms."

Jade remained with her eyebrow raised as she started to pile up her new clothes. The woman smiled sympathetically. "They don't want to catch you without a uniform. Now you can't say you don't have any clean ones, you have plenty."

Jade raised her eyebrows quickly and huffed. The woman moved to the side and came back with a bag. Jade put most of her stuff in it and carried what remained in her arms. She mumbled a thanks to the woman, who gave her a cheery bye. She was walking by the counter when she remembered the hair dye. She walked to it and said, "Where can I –" she was cut off by the serious woman's actions.

She had reached to the side of her desk, taken out a box and placed it on the tall counter in front of her. Jade took it and walked out. Once she was back in the room she dumped the clothes on top of the desk. She picked out one of the plaid skirts and long sleeve shirts. She took off her clothes, tossing it on top of the bed and put on her new uniform. She took off her socks and put on a pair of knee high navy socks. She then put her boots back on. She finished tying her laces and stood up. Then she rolled up the sleeves of her shirt half way up her forearm, the point of her nautical star tattoo barely peeking out. She left her shirt untucked. She grabbed her messenger bag, stuffed her P.E. uniform in it and headed down for breakfast.

She wasn't a big breakfast eater so she only grabbed a bottle of orange juice, a banana and a small cup of oatmeal. The cafeteria was mostly empty; it was getting close to the end of breakfast. She walked outside and sat on one of the cement round picnic tables. She ate slowly. She had no intention on being on time. After finishing her food and juice she walked to her first class, knowing she was already late. She walked on one of the cement pathways but stopped when something in her peripheral vision caught her attention. To her left, in the garden, there were beds of beautiful flowers, but one in particular had caught her eye. It was a long bed of beautiful striped carnations. They were white with magenta seeping into the paper white. "Do you like them?" she heard someone ask.

She turned her head further to the left and saw a young nun. She was the youngest Jade had met so far, she couldn't have been more than twenty-three. It didn't escape Jade how pretty she was. Coming out of the daze the flowers had caused, Jade tightened her jaw, shook her head and walked the nun looking after her, concerned and curious. She slowed her quick pace as she entered the building. She looked at her schedule to see the class number and to make sure she was looking for the right class. Calculus. She had the right class. She walked down the hall. Once she reached the door with the corresponding number she twisted the handle and walked in.

Jade stepped into the classroom that suddenly went quiet at her entrance. The students looked up at her curiously. The teacher, a man with a protruding belly, graying temples, a pony tail and glasses, said, "You must be Jadelyn."

Jade bristled at the mention of her full name. "Jade," she said through gritted teeth.

The teacher nodded lightly and repeated, "Jade." Then he asked, noting she was new, "Would you like to say a little about yourself?"

"No," she responded.

He was confounded. He cleared his throat. For a second, he wagered whether he should make her introduce herself to prove his authority or whether he should forget it in case she said something worse and further embarrassed him. He chose the latter. "All right," he looked in front of him and pointed with his pen. "You can sit behind Tori. Tori would you mind raising your hand?"

An olive-skinned, slim brunette with long sleek dark hair raised her hand. Jade walked over to the desk behind her and plopped down. Jade's seat was towards the back, in the middle, but she still had a view to the outside from the two big windows on the left wall. Which is where her attention was spent throughout the class, this time missing some of the glances thrown at her by her teacher had been going over the usual first day proceedings when Jade had interrupted. He continued to explain the rules and go over the syllabus, handing one to Jade. After he was done he started with the day's lesson. Not once did Jade pick up a pencil to write. Finally the bell rang. Jade got up and hung her messenger bag over her shoulder after stuffing the syllabus inside of it. She took out her schedule from one of her pockets and looked at it. Next up was English Lit. She tried recalling the directions Sister Mary Rose had given her but since she hadn't been paying attention she didn't know how to get to her next class. It didn't concern her either way. She dropped her hand and walked in the direction she thought it was.

After being lost for about six minutes she gave up. She went to one of the gardens and sat on a concrete bench. She had been sitting there for only a couple of minutes when a voice startled her. "Shouldn't you be in class?" the voice asked.

Jade barely caught herself from jumping. She looked to her right, where the voice came from. It was the same nun she had seen by the carnations. Jade looked down at her hands, she was carrying a bouquet of a half dozen red carnations. They were beautiful, just as the other flowers had been. She looked back up at the nun. "Shouldn't you be praying or imparting wisdom or something?" Jade retorted.

The nun's friendly smiled grew slightly in amusement. "Are you in need of some?" the nun asked.

Jade couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Despite the smile on her face and the light tone, it didn't sound like a rhetorical question. Finally, Jade said, "No."

The nun's amused smile turned softer and she asked, "Where's your next class?"

Again, Jade stared for a moment before she reluctantly answered, "St. Anthony's building, room 5B."

The nun nodded and gave her directions. "Do you need help with finding your other classes?" she asked after she was sure Jade knew how to get to her class.

Jade shook her head, it was mostly a lie. "Have a good day," the nun said smiling and walked away.

Jade got up and headed to her next class. She found the building without any difficulty and entered the room marked 5B. Everyone looked up at her again. "Still having trouble finding your way," the teacher said, making it sound like a question.

He was a balding man. He was in his late thirties, almost forty. The ring of hair he had was in disarray. And his chin looked like it needed shaving. Jade immediately saw he was a priest by the black robe he wore. He was more of the kind of priest she expected, minus the lack of tidiness he exhibited. She also quickly noted, by his demeanor and mannerism, he was a quirky one. If the coconut with a bright colored straw was any indication. Father Erwin looked down at the paper on his desk, marked something and told her where she could sit. "Here," he said as she was on her way to her desk.

She walked over and grabbed the paper he handed her. "You can ask one of your classmates to fill you in on what you've missed so far."

Jade huffed down on her chair. Again, Jade tuned everything out until she was forced to do some work. They had to write a short essay on their summer. Jade took out her notebook and a pen. She looked down at her blank page. She could write about her summer and make the teacher uncomfortable, possibly even make him feel like an ass. But that would require her to think about it. _Fuck this_, she thought. She wrote a single sentence. Then she sat, chin resting on her hand, and waited for the remainder of class to end. Father Erwin asked the students to pass their papers forward. Just as he finished collecting them, the bell rang.

Her next class was physical education. She recalled the general direction of the gymnasium. She walked towards it and easily found the locker rooms that were near the building. She walked in and looked for the number that was printed on her schedule. 153. She twisted the locker with the numbers that were also printed on her schedule. 11-5-4. She opened the locker door, took out her gym clothes from her bag and dumped the bag in her locker. The locker room was buzzing with other students' conversations and the clink clacking of lockers being opened and closed. Jade unbuttoned her shirt and threw it in her locker. She wasn't self-conscious about undressing in front of other girls. She had done so in her other school. And she was aware that she had a desirable physique. She finished changing but left her boots on since she hadn't bothered to bring sneakers with her. Afterwards, she closed her locker and walked out. She headed in the direction everyone else was going. After a couple of minutes, after all the students had come out and gathered, a man and woman dressed in athletic clothes and a nun came out toward them. The students separated into their respective groups. Most of the students were returning students so they already knew the teachers, therefore had only been waiting for their teacher to arrive. The teachers announced their names so the new students knew who was who. The nun, the same young nun Jade had encountered twice today, called out for Mr. Allen's students. They gathered in their respective spot. "Mr. Allen had to leave unexpectedly, so I will be taking over for him today. For those of you that don't know me, I'm Sister Caterina. But you can call me Sister Cat," she said, smiling.

Jade rolled her eyes. _Cat_, she scoffed internally.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the very slow update. I tried getting it out sooner than I had the last one, but well, clearly that didn't work out. Won't bore you with the details. But anyway, it's here now, finally, and I will try to get the next one out faster than this one. It's actually not as long as I would have liked, but it was about damn time I updated and it wasn't a bad place to end. I still want to make the following chapters long (longer than this). Hope it's worth the wait.

Oh, also, I would suggest/recommend you guys reread the previous chapters. Or at least chapter 2. I did some more editing and chapter 2 has new information that you might need to not be confused. It's not super necessary, but I would still suggest you reread chapter 2.

Enjoy.

* * *

Sister Caterina stood her full 5 feet 7 inches tall. She watched what appeared to be a grumpy Jadelyn West. Jade, she corrected herself with a smile, remembering how the girl had practically growled at her. Her eyes followed the girl as Jade's boots stomped on the grass. She begrudgingly walked farther out the field to retrieve the soccer ball. She had refused to participate, standing immobile with her arms crossed, until the ball had conveniently rolled in front of her feet. She had been too tempted and kicked it with all of her might, the sturdiness of the boot giving the kick an extra boost. The ball had furiously gone flying off the field at the brute contact. Since she had so obviously and callously hit the ball in an act of insolence, Sister Caterina had deemed her the only plausible retriever of the ball.

Once Jade reached the ball, instead of picking it up and walking back with it or throwing it to a fellow player, she kicked it again with all of her force. The ball made a rapid path toward the rest of the group. Too bad she was too far away to effectively hit anyone, Jade lamented. She walked back with a deliberate, slow pace, noticing Sister Caterina's gaze on her when she rejoined them. Her currently icy blue eyes briefly met with warm brown ones. Jade took her original place, crossing her arms again, her face a mixture of annoyance and disinterest. "Sister Cat," a girl on the other half of the field called.

Sister Caterina turned her attention to the girl from her spot behind the lines. She smiled a friendly smile and asked, "Yes, Tori?"

"You're not going to play with us today?" the dark skinned girl asked.

Sister Caterina's smile grew. "I don't think I'm equipped to play," she said and motioned at her clothes.

"Aw, come on," Tori egged on.

Some of the other students seemed interested in the idea, so they joined in and encouraged the nun. Sister Caterina laughed, a soft melodic laugh. She considered it for a beat, then said, "Next time."

Some of the students let out sounds of disappointment. Sister Caterina gave them an apologetic, sweet smile as they went back to their activity. Jade glared sideways at the nun, then went back to looking straight ahead. She already disliked this nun's sunny disposition.

* * *

It took Jade approximately five minutes to be out of her gym clothes, into her uniform and out of the locker room. She waited outside of the lockers, leaning against a wall, for the bell to ring. They had to wait to be dismissed and allowed to roam free by the bell. Once it rang, she headed immediately toward the dining hall.

As she was eating her lunch, someone came and sat in front of her. She was surprised when it wasn't one of the nuns. "Hey, new girl," a voice drawled.

Jade looked up lazily. Jake, a boy with golden blond hair, tanned skin, bright blue eyes and a wide smile, sat in front of her. "Want a tour?" He leaned in sightly and suggestively added, "I can show you a few things."

Jade smiled. It was not a flirtatious or inviting smile in the least. She slowly leaned in. He was reminded of a lioness and a snake, right before they make their killing strike. His smile twitched for a second, but he wouldn't let his sudden discomfort show, and kept himself from leaning back. "Leave before I give you a tour of my fist," she hissed.

His smile fell. "Dyke," he spat as he was getting up.

Jade's eyebrows furrowed and her leg stretched and hooked with his foot. Her booted foot pulled on the leg that remained inside the table and tripped him over the bench seat, making him fall on his back, his legs up on the bench. "Fuck," he hissed, his breath knocked out of him, and quickly got up.

He clenched his fist and looked menacingly at her. She smirked and stared back challengingly. He was about to speak when he felt eyes on him. He looked off to the right, where the teachers were, and saw that some of the nuns were attentively watching him. He gave Jade a quick glare and stomped away. Jade's eyes traveled from him to the two snickering students on the table in front of hers. Beck, a dark-skinned boy with hair that reached his ears and Tori, who looked familiar to Jade but whom she didn't recognize, tried to contain their laughter at what they had witnessed.

After Jade was done eating, she walked around the gardens and headed to the area outside her window. She stood out beneath her window and studied the porch and walked all along until she came to the walkway. The porch looked sturdy; it would support her weight. It was a little steep but she could still walk it. The walkway roof was about four feet taller than her. If she was careful, she could hang from the edge and jump off without getting hurt. She had no doubt she could manage that. Or she could get off by the wall, where there was a bed of flowers. They might ease her fall if she didn't land it.

After inspecting her escape route, she headed toward the bell tower. The place had caught her attention when she had first seen it from her bedroom window. When she came close to the door she stopped, she could smell smoke. She walked around the building and saw a boy sitting on the ground, arms on bent knees, smoking a cigarette. He had shortish brown hair with red tints, it was mixture of wavy and curly, some locks falling over his forehead. His skin was light, only a few shades darker than Jade, and he had a solid frame.

Having noticed her presence, he looked up at her. The barest hint of interest behind his bluish green eyes. He lifted his right hand to his mouth, elbow resting on knee, and removed the cigarette from his mouth. "Want one?" he asked.

She nodded and sat next to him, as he pulled out a cigarette. "Sinjin," he said, offering his right hand.

She considered telling him off, but instead said, "Jade."

Sinjin dropped his hand after Jade ignored it. They sat smoking in silence for the rest of their lunch period.

* * *

Father Erwin rifled through his students' papers as he waited for his last class to arrive. The door opened and a student came in. He was about to put the papers away when one caught his attention. It was mostly blank, with the exception of the heading and a single sentence below it. He felt something twist in his stomach. The paper was from Jade West. He remembered her. She made quite an impression with her mere presence. He sighed and put the paper away as the rest of his students entered the classroom.

Jade plopped down in one of the individual plastic chairs. She was relieved her day was almost over. Unfortunately, her day wouldn't be done after this class since she had gotten reprimanded by one of the nuns. She had been told on several occasions to tuck in her shirt, but she had untucked it as soon as she had walked away. After gettingtired of doing that, she didn't listen when one of the nuns told her to tuck it in. A week of detention had changed that. Her shirt had remained tucked since.

Once some of her annoyance dissipated, she looked around the room inconspicuously. It was different than all the other rooms; this only had one regular size window by the teacher's desk, it had two doors, the one the students had entered and another one next to the stage area. The stage area was a raise platform, about a foot high. On the wall was a blackboard, for now it only had the title of the class and Father Erwin's name written on it. Jade had chosen to sit in the middle. From where she sat she could see most of the students. Being a theater class, there weren't that many. This was her smallest class. She noted that the girl and boy that had snickered in the cafeteria were in this class too. She might have some classes with some of the other students, but she didn't remember any of them. Father Erwin didn't bother calling attendance. The only new student he had in class was Jade and he remembered her, so there was no need to call her name. He proceeded to tell them about the class and passed out the syllabus. After he was done with that he announced the first acting exercise. "Any volunteers?" Father Erwin asked.

Several hands went up. Jade's hand had stayed down. She wanted to observe her future competition's skills first. Father Erwin called on some of the students and they acted out what was instructed of them. This helped Jade learn some of their names. She realized the skinny brunette looked familiar because she was the same girl that sat in front of her in Calculus and was also in her P.E. class, though Jade didn't remember the latter. And Beck was the same boy that sat next to Tori in Calculus, if they had any other classes together, Jade did not remember. Robbie, a lanky boy with curly dark hair, close to an afro, thick frame glasses and light skin, was also called. In the next hour, several students had gone up on stage; by the end of the class Jade had forgotten most of their names. The bell rang as the last group of students finished their scene. Father Erwin clasped his hands together and said, "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. Have a nice day."

The students grabbed their belongings and walked out. As Jade was placing the strap of her bag on her shoulder, Father Erwin said, "Jade, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Jade halted her actions and looked at him. Father Erwin waited until everyone was gone then walked closer to her. "Sit down," he said and motioned to the chair behind her.

Jade remained standing. "Okay, suit yourself."

His face softened and he clasped his hands in front of him, a priestly habit he had picked up long ago. "I read your paper. I apologize, I was unaware," he said sincerely.

Jade shrugged and started to walk away. "But-" his words halted her actions again.

She half turned. "I still need to know where your writing abilities are. You still have to write an essay. You can pick the topic," he said.

She rolled her eyes and left. She took a few steps out in the hall, intent on heading to her room, when she remembered she had detention. She sighed. She stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out the crumpled detention slip. The nun that had given her the slip had made sure to give her directions. So she knew where to go.

She opened the door to the room she'd have to occupy for the next hour and walked in. The classroom was empty, with the exception of the nun that sat at the teacher's desk. Sister Caterina looked up at the arriving student and smiled. She got a scowl in return. Jade walked to a desk in the middle of the room and huffed down, dropping her messenger bag on the table. She glanced around the room. "Did you expect more company?" Sister Caterina asked.

Jade's eyes turned to the nun. She hadn't expected it to just be the two of them. "Most students don't get detention on their first day," Sister Caterina said.

Jade crossed her arms and leaned back on her chair. "I'm not most," she retorted.

Sister Caterina only smiled at her. Jade watched as she got up and walked to the window. She stood there looking out before she said, "It's a beautiful day out."

She looked back at Jade. "How about we have detention outside?"

She stepped away from the window and started for the door. Midway, she stopped and looked back at Jade, who had made no movements. "Would you prefer to stay here?" she asked.

After a few beats, Jade got up and grabbed her bag. They headed down to the first floor then stepped outside. Jade followed Sister Caterina to what looked like a shed. Sister Caterina opened the door and Jade reluctantly followed in. She looked around at the gardening and maintenance tools as Sister Caterina gathered some items. After she was done, she stepped out with Jade in tow. She walked to one of the gardens and knelt by a bed of red roses. She looked up at Jade, who stood behind her. "Would you like to garden?"

Jade scoffed. "No."

Sister Caterina turned back to the roses and started plucking the withered petals. Jade stood there for a moment, until she realized Sister Caterina wasn't going to give her a chore. She clenched her jaw in exasperation. "So, I'm just supposed to stand here?" she asked, annoyed.

Without looking back, Sister Caterina answered, "There's a bench behind you, or you could sit on the grass. You can enjoy the nice day, or start on your homework."

Jade huffed and went to sit on the cement bench. She stared at nothing in particular. After a while her eyes drifted to the kneeling nun. She watched as Sister Caterina dug into the soil with her bare hands. She only watched for a moment, but she was bored and annoyed, she couldn't help herself and commented, "Shouldn't you be wearing gloves?"

Sister Caterina smiled. A smile Jade didn't see since Sister Caterina's face faced away from her. "I like the feel of the soil and getting my hands dirty," she answered.

"So you like dirty things?" Jade deadpanned, a hint of the suggestiveness she was implying seeping into her voice.

Sister Caterina pressed her lips together into a tight line. "Only some," she answered without a problem.

They stayed in silence then. After some time, Sister Caterina straightened up, dusted off her hands, then pushed back the sleeve of her right hand. She looked at her watch and said to Jade, "Detention is over. Sister Amelia would like to see you in her office."

She smiled at Jade. Jade was amused by the fact that Sister Caterina used a watch. She didn't know anyone that still used a watch to check time. She got up, and without thinking, she mocked, "Don't you have a phone?"

With that smile that never seemed to leave her face, Sister Caterina answered, "No."

Jade was about to ask why, but stopped herself, remembering she didn't care. She turned around and walked away. "See you tomorrow," she heard Sister Caterina call after her.

Once she reached the main office she walked into Sister Amelia's office without announcing her entrance to Margaret O'Malley or knocking. Sister Amelia looked up sharply at the abrupt interruption. "You wanted to see me," Jade said without any inflection in her voice.

Sister Amelia breathed out and said, "It is polite to knock. Yes, your uncle was informed of your week long detention and asked us to have you call him."

Jade rolled her eyes. Great, she thought. She walked toward Sister Amelia's desk and sat on one of the plush leather chairs, extended her arm, palm up. Understanding the gesture, Sister Amelia picked up the phone and dialed Jade's uncle's number, giving Jade a pointed look. After she got a response, she greeted him and informed him Jade was there to speak to him, then passed the phone over to his niece. Jade took it and loosely placed it next to her ear. "What?" she asked curtly.

"Hello to you, too," he said.

Jade clenched her jaw. His voice alone was enough to make her bristle. "I heard you got a week of detention."

Silence. "A little soon don't you think, Jade?"

Silence again. "It would be in everyone's best interest if you behaved. You wouldn't want to end up in military school, would you?"

Jade gripped the handle of the phone tighter, her knuckles turning paler, but said nothing. "You'll be wishing for the nuns," he taunted her.

Again, Jade said nothing, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction, and handed the phone back to the nun. "Hello?" Sister Amelia asked, uncertain.

Mr. West was caught off for a brief moment at hearing the nun's voice instead that of his niece, but quickly composed himself. He cleared his throat and said, "Yes. She shouldn't be a problem anymore."

Before Sister Amelia could give her doubtful response, Mr. West said, "Have a good day, Sister."

"You too, Mr. West," Sister Amelia responded coolly and hung up the phone.

She looked at it for a couple of seconds, wondering what kind of man he was and having a good guess, before looking back up at Jade. "That will be all," she said, using her firm vice principal voice, but it was softer than the tone she had used with her uncle.

Jade picked up her things and left. As she walked back to her room, she thought about what her uncle had said. She wasn't about to be sent to a military school. Which meant, for now, she was trapped here. And she couldn't completely disregard the rules or act too insubordinate. There was only so much she could push and only so much she could do before they thought she should be expelled, or before her uncle decided it was time to try military school. But she would be eighteen in January. Then she could do as she pleased. She only had to stick it out for five more months.

* * *

Jade sat at her desk, writing a short essay of some of the things she hated, for Father Erwin's English class. Her pen moved along the sheet of paper, barely taking any breaks. In an hour she was done writing it. Dinner was served from six to eight, so she still had two hours before she deemed dinner fit. Six was too early for dinner. She couldn't imagine who would want to eat that early, except for the older staff. She grabbed a beat up shirt, her towel, the hair dye and headed toward the shower room. In the shower room, she used one of the sinks, where she applied the dye. She didn't feel like going back to the room just to return in half an hour to wash her hair, so she decided to wait the thirty minutes there. She walked to one of the wooden stalls. With her pinned up hair she laid down on one of the wooden benches, legs bent up, not caring that the dye was getting on the bench. After several minutes of staring at the ceiling, she heard the door open and close. Three girls had entered. They were giggling and chatting. Kristen, a chocolate brown-haired girl with rich brown eyes and light, but not pale, skin looked at herself in the mirror as the other two got ready to get into the showers. "So what do you guys think of the new girl?" Kristen asked, leaning against the counter and touching up her eyeliner with her pinky.

Tori shrugged as she hung her towel. Jessica, a strawberry blonde with grayish green eyes, opened the shower door as she said, "She seems kind of weird."

"More like a criminal," said Kristen.

"You don't know that," Tori said to her.

"No, but she sure looks it," Kristen replied.

Tori rolled her eyes and got into the shower. "I heard Jake say she's a lesbian," Kristen said.

"Who cares?" said Jessica and stepped into the shower.

"I care, I don't want her checking me out in the showers," Kristen responded.

Tori opened her mouth to tell Kristen how absurd she was being, when a voice interrupted their conversation.

"I wouldn't fuck you with a hundred foot pole if you were the last thing alive."

Jessica flinched in her shower stall for being caught by the subject of their conversation. She felt a slight tinge spread over her freckled face. Tori smiled, amused. Kristen turned to look at Jade, with a startled, dignified and embarrassed look. Her face heated a bit at being caught, and at Jade's words. Not knowing how else to respond, she said, "It's rude to eavesdrop."

Jade scoffed, then walked toward the girl, keeping a few feet of distance. Not wanting to see her face any longer, she said menacingly, "Leave."

Kristen huffed and raised an eyebrow. 'Yeah right,' her face said. Jade took a step closer. "Leave," she repeated.

Kristen looked at Jade's face and knew she should leave if she wanted to remain unharmed. "I'll. I'll see you guys later," she said to her friends and walked out.

Jade turned around and leaned against the counter, palms on the edge. Jessica turned off the shower, wrapped her towel around herself and stepped out. She gave Jade a quick glance and wavering smile. She realized now that the appropriate word to describe Jade wasn't weird, but intimidating. Or scary. "You coming out, Tori?" She asked, then cringed at her word choice.

"No, I'm not done."

"Okay, I'll see you in the cafeteria," she said and scurried out.

Jade jumped onto the counter, legs crossed and swinging, and leaned back; not caring that she was leaving a black blotch on the mirror. Some minutes later Tori stepped out in her towel. She was a little surprised to see Jade still there. From the silence in the room she had assumed Jade had left. "I'm sorry about what my friend said. She can be a real gank sometimes."

Jade jumped off the counter and walked to the sink where she had left her things. "Don't care," she said indifferently.

She didn't care about what anyone thought or said about her. Of course, that didn't mean she was above instilling fear in them or letting them get away with what she felt was disrespect. Tori looked at her and saw that she meant it. "I'm Tori," she said, friendly.

"Don't care," Jade repeated, grabbed her towel and headed to one of the showers.

Tori sighed and left, as Jade got into a stall.

* * *

After she was done washing off the dye, showering and changing into her clothes, she went down to the dining hall. A couple of minutes after sitting at a table by the staff's, two trays clanked against it, followed by Beck and Tori. "Hi," said Beck.

Jade opened her mouth to tell them to fuck off, but remembered she would be overheard by the nuns. So instead, she said, "No."

"No?" Beck asked, perplexed.

"No," Jade repeated.

Beck was about to ask what she meant, but was interrupted by Tori. "We just wanted to say hi."

"You said it, now leave."

Again, Beck was about to say something when Tori interrupted him a second time, "Sorry."

She got up and waited for Beck.

He looked confused and unsure for a moment, but then got up and left with Tori.

After dinner she promptly headed to her room. Tonight Jade didn't smoke. Tonight she drank. She had made sure to pack herself a well-stocked and varied stash. Thoughts were easy to escape, sleep easy to achieve.

* * *

Tuesday and Wednesday went the same. Jade tuned classes in and out. People stayed away from her and she stayed away from them. She went to detention with Sister Caterina and they went outside to tend to the flowers. Sister Caterina took care of them and Jade sat on the bench, either looking at everything and nothing or doing her school work. On Thursday, the day was cooler, so Sister Caterina had decided to stay in the classroom and sat, engrossed in a new book. The room was silent, only the sound of her turning the page heard. Jade sat with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. She stared out the window, bored. She looked at the sky, a pale bluish gray; saw the wind rustling the tree branches. She heard Sister Caterina turn a page and her eyes drifted to the nun. Sister Caterina's eyes moved along the words. Jade looked down at the book, but couldn't read the title since Sister Caterina had a book cover on it. Her eyes drifted back to the nun. Jade's eyebrows scrunched when a smile appeared on the nun's face. Sister Caterina lifted her eyes up to meet Jade's. Jade looked away and huffed back into her chair. Sister Caterina slightly pursed her lips to keep her amused smile from growing and continued to read her book.

Just one more day, Jade thought, as she walked back to her room. Just Friday. After that she'd be done with detention. For now, she thought. She was sure she would get more detention in the future. In the room, Jade threw herself on the bed. She had no interest in anything school related. Instead, she turned on her side and went to sleep.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open. She had been turning in her sleep and was now on her back. She exhaled, relieved to be out of that nightmare, and wiped her clammy face. She took another slow breath and pushed the nightmare away, deep down. Too lazy to change, she went down to dinner in her crumpled uniform. As usual, she sat at one of the emptier tables.

She ate the little food she had gotten in a hurry. Five minutes after setting her tray down, she was dumping her trash and walking outside. She walked to the back of the bell tower, hoping she could bum off a cigarette from Sinjin as she had forgotten to bring one of her own. She rounded the corner and saw him already there. She briefly half raised her eyebrow, wondering if the guy ate at all. But more importantly, she wondered if he had cigarettes on him, since she didn't see him smoking. She sat next to him and in a couple of seconds was offered a cigarette. "That your diet?" She asked rhetorically.

He smiled. "Sometimes," he answered.

Jade would prefer to have the spot behind the bell tower to her own, but she didn't completely hate sharing it with Sinjin; he was so quiet, it was almost as if he wasn't there. Just as the time before, they sat in silence. Until he broke it, "You going to the woods party?"

She took a slow, long drag of her cigarette. She had heard some of the others students whispering about it in corners of the halls. "Haven't been invited," she answered.

Even if she had been, she wouldn't go. A small smirk played on Sinjin's lips. He side-glanced her and said, "That won't be for long."

She turned to him, unsure of what he meant. "I'm going," he said, quietly.

They stayed in silenceagain for the rest of dinner.

"Hey, new girl," someone called out to Jade, but she kept walking, having no interest in addressing his existence.

Mark, a tall guy with chestnut brown hair and baby blue eyes, left his group of friends and caught up to Jade.

He was aware that a lot of girls found his smile charming. He used that smile as he talked to Jade. "I'm having a party in the woods Friday night, you should come."

Jade kept walking, as if she hadn't heard a word. Mark stopped walking after Jade didn't answer. "Think about it," he called after her, watching her walk away.

"Right," Jade muttered under her breath, sarcastically.


	4. Chapter 4

A few things...

I was thinking the story would be between 8 - 13 chapters (depending on the lenght of the chapters. I.e. 4 - 8k). But now I actually don't know.

Okay, maybe not a few things sinceI've managed to forget what else I wanted to say, as I always seem to do. It's a serious problem. Oh right, I remembered something. I'll try to get out the next chapter as soon as I can, but don't expect it to take the same time as this one. This one came out kinda fast.

Edit: I just remembered what else I meant to say. There won't be explicit sex scenes, which is why I'm not rating the story M. But there will be sex, and other adult themes, which is why I'm rating it T.

Enjoy.

* * *

Jade reached out from under her blanket, grabbing for her phone, after the alarm went off. She silenced it, shifted in the bed and went back to sleep.

After a long round of knocks that increased in volume and consistency, Sister Mary Rose had cautiously opened the door to Jade's room to check on the absent student. Finding what she had suspected to find, a sleeping Jade, she had gone to the bed to wake the girl. She sat on Jade's bed, increasing the effort on her soft shakes. She was finding Jade to be quite the deep sleeper. Jade slowly woke as she felt someone rocking her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked up at the source. Her eyebrows scrunched as she saw Sister Mary Rose sitting on the bed, very close to her. She barely fought off the urge to push the nun off the bed. Her muscles tensed at the closeness. Having succeeded in waking the girl up, and sensing her discomfort, Sister Mary Rose stood up. "You missed first period, are you not feeling well?" she asked.

Jade resisted rolling her eyes and simply mumbled, not having the energy for anything else, "Mm."

Sister Mary Rose sighed internally. The girl could at least _try_ to be convincing, she thought. "Jade," she started, in a soft voice. "I know you'r—"

She was cut off by Jade, who suddenly bolted into a sitting position and threw the blankets off herself. "Feeling better now," she forced out, angrily, knowing what Sister Mary Rose had been about to say.

Sister Mary Rose stepped back as Jade swung her legs off the bed. "All right," she said, unsure.

She stood there for a second, but figured it was better to drop it. It would do no good to try and talk about it when Jade clearly didn't want to address the subject. "Please make sure to wake up on time next time," she said and left.

Jade stood still for a moment and exhaled, annoyed, trying to calm down a little. She wanted to curse out Sister Mary Rose. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened them and unclenched her hands and set to getting ready for classes.

She walked the paved pathway as she always did, at a slow, feckless pace. She stopped when she saw Sister Caterina hugging the groundskeeper by the entrance of the shed she knew well. Sister Caterina's back was to her, but she could see the man's face. They were in a snug embrace and he had an affectionate smile on his face. Jade was slightly thrown, and curious, by the weird scene. But she shrugged it off and continued to her class. She walked into Father Erwin's class almost half an hour late. Father Erwin looked up from the book he was reading to the class. "Nice of you to join us, Jade. Please take a seat and take out your book, page 26."

Jade passed Father Erwin, who was leaning against the front of his desk, and went to her seat. As she sat down she said, sarcastically, "Wouldn't want to miss this exciting class."

He looked back up at her and asked, "Would you like to read some of it to the class?"

"No, I'm sure you were doing just _peachy_," she replied.

He gave her a small smile and continued reading. Jade took out her copy of _The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter_ and opened it up to the page Father Erwin had instructed, but didn't read along.

* * *

Jade had decided to have lunch away from everyone and sat on a bench in one of the many gardens. She leisurely chewed on her food, when a body sat next to her. "Hey," Robbie said to her, as confidently as he could muster.

Jade slowly, lazily, turned to him. She looked at him with absolutely no interest as she continued to chew. He fidgeted where he sat and opened his mouth to ask, "I was wondering if –"

"No," Jade interrupted.

"But," Robbie started, wanting to object to Jade's rejection when she hadn't heard what he was going to ask.

"No," she interrupted again. "Whatever it is, I'm not interested. Not now. Not ever."

Crushed, he stammered before getting up and dejectedly walking away. Jade continued to eat and looked at the flowers in front of her, wishing she hadn't forgotten her trusty scissors so she could chop them off. She looked at her phone then; lunch was almost over. She weighed the consequences of missing classes again vs. enduring the rest of the day. She did not want another week of detention or to have a conversation about something she was so adamantly avoiding. So she picked the latter.

* * *

Jade stood in front of the class, with her arms crossed, along with Tori, Beck and Robbie, who kept his eyes on the floor, as they waited for Father Erwin to return and give them their acting exercise. "So, are you going to the woods party, Jade?" Tori asked.

Jade rolled her eyes, annoyed that people insisted on talking to her when she so clearly had no interest in their existence. Robbie shrunk at the question and his head hung lower, while Beck and Tori looked at Jade, waiting for an answer. There were no words coming from Jade's mouth, and there was no time for a long silence as Father Erwin returned to class at that moment and gave them the acting assignment they had waited for.

* * *

Jade drummed her fingers on the top of the desk, bored out of her mind. She looked over to Sister Caterina, who was sitting at the front, lost in her book. Jade looked up at the clock, for what she thought could be the hundredth time. They still had most of detention to go. "Aren't you going out to garden today, or something?" Jade demanded.

Sister Caterina looked up, a little surprised at Jade addressing her. "Would you like to go outside?" she asked, guessing correctly at Jade's reason for asking.

"Well, my ass hurts from sitting on this chair. And looking at you read is as fun as stubbing my big toe repeatedly."

Sister Caterina let out a small chuckle at Jade's comment. She knew she shouldn't be openly amused at the girl's remark, especially the language, that was clearly meant to be insulting, but it had been an automatic response. Despite what Jade's words said, Sister Caterina could not deny the comedy in them. She straightened her face and replied, "I imagine the bench outside isn't much better. As for the boredom . . . detention isn't supposed to be fun. I think that's the point, wouldn't want you coming back."

She smiled at Jade, who rolled her eyes. "But we can go outside. I'm not a believer of torture," Sister Caterina conceded.

Jade raised an eyebrow, unamused. Sister Caterina smiled at what the girl's face said, _are you done yet?_ She got up and said, "Come on."

Sister Caterina and Jade stepped outside, to a different garden than the one she had worked on last, after she got her supplies. Jade's steps halted for a second when she saw what flowers Sister Caterina was tending to that day. It was the same garden where she had first seen the nun. Unwilling to address or acknowledge anything, she unceremoniously dumped her bag on the bench and plopped down. Sister Caterina crouched down and placed her tools down on the ground. She looked over at Jade and said, "Wouldn't you prefer to not sit, let your posterior rest for a moment? Maybe you'd like to garden?"

Jade, looking off to the side, half absent-mindedly said, "I don't think your carnations would appreciate my help."

Sister Caterina smiled sympathetically at the student, whose mood seemed to have slightly shifted. She turned to her striped carnations and started to trim the withered petals.

Several shredded papers later, Jade got tired of taking things out on the sheets of her notebook, and stuffed the trash into her bag, along with her scissors. She looked off into the distance and casually half asked, half stated, "So you have a thing for older men?"

Sister Caterina stopped her gardening and turned back to look at Jade. "Huh?" she asked, having no idea what the girl was talking about.

Jade turned to look at Sister Caterina. "The groundskeeper. I'd say he's too old to sleep with, but whatever floats your boat, I guess," Jade said, with calculated evenness, before turning away again.

Sister Caterina chuckled and turned back to tend to her carnations. She internally shook her head at the ridiculous notion. "You think I'm having an affair?" she asked.

Jade turned her eyes to the nun's back. "I think people like you don't practice what they preach," Jade answered, believing what she said but not about it applying to Sister Caterina in context.

Sister Caterina smiled. This conversation was the most words she had ever heard come out of Jade's mouth. "He's my father," she said.

Jade was somewhat caught off-guard. She hadn't truly thought Sister Caterina was sleeping with anyone. She didn't even think Sister Caterina knew the first thing about sex. But the old geezer had seemed a little too chummy with the hot young nun, Jade had thought, for it to not have meant something. She had misinterpreted the meaning. "You don't look alike," was Jade's response.

* * *

Jade took another swig from her flask before putting the cigarette in her mouth and lighting it up. As she cupped her hand in front of it and saw the fire light her cigarette, she heard noises coming from beyond the door. She looked toward it and listened. After hearing mumbled voices she couldn't make out, she realized it was some of the girls sneaking out of their rooms. She looked back out the window from her spot on the nightstand. It was a nice night out; cool with the stars shining bright in the sky.

She took another drink from her flask before returning the last of her cigarette to her mouth and inhaling. She heard more steps and mumbles, this time coming from below. She looked down and saw a couple of students walking in the direction of the woods. Down below, Tori's attention was caught by the smell of smoke. She looked up and saw a round red light coming from an upstairs window. She could barely make her out, but she was sure it was Jade. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the girl for a moment. She thought Jade had noticed her, unsure, she tilted her head, motioning for Jade to come with them.

Jade, who had a better view due to the moonlight, had caught Tori's invitation. She looked down at her as she stood in the middle of the pathway. "Tori," she heard someone whisper loudly.

Tori turned to look at Beck, who had called her name. "I'll be right there," she whispered and turned back to the window.

_Ugh_, Jade thought before putting out her cigarette. Seeing the tiny light go out, Tori knew Jade's decision and waited for the girl. Jade stuffed her flask in one of the skirt pockets and wondered what the hell she was doing as she took out a sweater. Maybe the alcohol had gotten to her, she thought as she stepped out of her room.

As she reached Tori, who had moved from the middle of the pathway to under the dark walkway, in case someone happened to walk by, she saw that she was the only one wearing the school's uniform. Tori, Jessica, Kristen, Beck and Robbie had all changed into street clothes. "Looks like someone forgot to send her the memo," Kristen commented.

"Do you ever shut your mouth," Jade said, then, as she started to walk off to the woods before anyone else, added, "Or are you waiting for someone to do it for you?"

"Behave," Tori said to Kristen, as everyone started to follow Jade.

Kristen rolled her eyes but stayed quiet, feeling she had used up her allotted insults toward Jade for the moment. As they kept walking, Beck stepped next to Jade. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He remained silent and walked alongside her. The other three girls talked as Robbie nervously told them to keep it down or they would get caught. "Loosen up, Robbie. No one can hear us from here," Beck told him.

Robbie hunched his shoulders forward, from the cold and nerves. "Besides, the penguins are all asleep by now," Kristen added.

Soon enough they reached the woods. Guided by Tori's directions, they walked a couple of yards in and could hear faint music. Several yards more and they reached the party at a clearing. There were several coolers filled with ice and beer. On one of them, sat a few bottles of liquor and mixers. A part of the clearing had turned into a makeshift dance floor. Jade was instantly repulsed by the bodies grinding drunkenly against each other. As she looked around for a place to be without having to share space with another body, she caught sight of Sinjin, who was leaning against a tree, observing the scene. He held a red cup in his hand and raised it when his eyes met hers. The right side of her lips twitched and she turned to see where the rest of the caravan had gone. They were still behind her, also looking for a place to stand. Kristen, Jessica and Robbie headed to one of the coolers to grab drinks for everyone as Beck, Tori and Jade walked off to a set of less vacated trees. "Do you like him?" Tori asked cautiously, noticing the exchange with Jade and Sinjin.

Jade side-glanced her and replied, pointedly, "I don't like anyone."

Both Tori and Beck wondered for a moment if she meant she wasn't interested in anyone or if she just didn't like the general population. At that time the other three arrived with their drinks. Robbie handed a beer to Jade, who scoffed at it and pulled out her flask. Kristen gave her a disapproving look, but kept the comment to herself. Jessica took a couple of gulps from her beer and asked, "Anyone want to dance?"

Beck looked at the group of dancers and raised his eyebrow. "To that?" he asked.

Jessica shrugged. "I just want to dance," she said.

"I'll dance with you," Robbie offered.

Jessica smiled at him, handed her beer to Kristen and dragged Robbie by the hand to the dance floor. Tori took a sip from her can of beer, feeling a little awkward. She wanted to include Jade in their group dynamic, but the girl was a hard nut to crack. And she could feel the discontent radiating from Kristen. "No one else wants to dance?" she asked, unable to come up with anything else.

Beck shook his head. "Sure. Anything's better than this," Kristen answered.

She handed Jessica's drink to Beck and walked off with Tori. Beck walked from his spot and leaned against one of the trees next to Jade. He stayed quiet and sipped from his drink. Jade took a shot from her flask and wondered what his deal was.

After several minutes of silence and drinking, a giggling Jessica approached Beck and dragged him to the dance floor after some light insistence. Jade shook her flask, it was half empty. She felt her skin buzzing and was glad she had eaten a light dinner. As her eyes wandered around the place, she caught someone staring at her. A tanned girl with black hair and light brown eyes openly stared at her. Jade felt herself bristle and was prepared to stalk over to the girl to tear her a new one, when her brain registered the look behind the girl's eyes; her buzzed state slowing her processing capacities. She let her own gaze change and looked right back at the girl. After seconds of returning the gaze, she pushed off the tree and walked off further out into the woods. She walked about six yards and then leaned against an oak tree, waiting. Sure enough, she heard footsteps crunching on dead leaves and twigs. She turned her head and saw the brunette walk almost past her. The girl was caught off guard and pushed against one of the many trees. She barely had any chance to register what was happening when she felt Jade's lips on hers.

Jade pushed her tongue past the girl's lips and was rewarded with a moan. As their tongues wrestled, Jade slipped her hands inside the girl's shirt. After a couple of minutes of groping, she slid her hands down the brunette's stomach, undid her jeans and stuck her hand in.

* * *

After having taken Robbie's newly acquired cranberry vodka from him, Jade stuck her two middle fingers in the drink, hoping to get the feel and smell of the girl off her fingers; then tossed the drink aside. Soon after, she finished the content of her flask and left the party. She walked back alone, after giving everyone who had offered to accompany her a menacing look.

She took a slow pace back to her dorm, enjoying the feel of the alcohol and the fresh wind on her hot skin. She took a deep breath and let her body sway a little, enhancing the swimming feeling she felt.

Once inside the room, she took off all of her clothes and buried herself underneath the covers. Falling asleep soon after.

* * *

Not being a morning person, Jade woke up past noon on Sunday, missing the morning and noon services, but knew this time she couldn't avoid it. She opened the door to the church past five. A few heads turned to look at her; one of them included Sister Amelia's, who sat toward the back. Jade ignored the gazes and sat on the last pew, which had less people on it. She crossed her arms and leaned back on her seat. She was satisfied with her choice of clothes; she was in a faded black rock band shirt, black jeans and boots. Everyone else was in finer clothes, clothes that had had more thought put into them and what one would expect to wear to a church. Some were in their church finest.

Throughout the whole service, Jade remained seated, refusing to stand up or kneel. Before Father Eichner finished uttering his last words, Jade was up and walking out. "Jade," she heard Sister Amelia call out to her once outside.

She stopped walking and rolled her eyes, expecting a talk on church etiquette from the head nun. She turned around just as Sister Amelia reached her. "What did you think of the service?"

"Great for insomnia," Jade retorted.

unphased, Sister Amelia asked, "How can it be more engaging?"

"How about not droning on on how to live one's life," Jade answered and turned around to walk away.

"Is that what you heard?" Sister Amelia asked.

Jade turned back around and looked at the nun, unable to read her. "Try to keep an open mind, Jade. It's only fair to give what you expect from others," Sister Amelia said then walked off.

Jade clenched her jaw, then walked away toward the library. Unable to submerge herself in intoxication or sleep 24/7, she buried herself in books. In an upper level of the library, on an oak wood table by a window, she read until closing time. Then in her room until sleep crept over her.

* * *

That following Saturday and Sunday Jade had successfully avoided Tori and Beck. She was glad they had understood the message and kept their distance. In the next two weeks they talked to her here and there, but only managed to get some grunts and small sentences from her. Only getting full sentences during their acting exercises.

Jade sat slouching on her seat and looked out the window, bored out of her mind. "Ms. West, please sit up," Sister Chantal, her Physics teacher, said.

Jade turned to look at her, and only crossed her arms in response. Sister Chantal's face hardened. "Maybe detention will change your attitude," Sister Chantal threatened.

Jade smirked. "You're going to give me detention because of how I sit? It's my body, you have no say over it."

"It is my job to teach you and that includes manners."

"That's your opinion. I will sit however I _choose_ to sit."

"Then you can do that in detention," Sister Chantal concluded and wrote Jade a detention slip.

She handed the piece of paper to Jade, who gave her a wry smile and leaned back more in her chair.

Sister Chantal clenched her jaw and then continued to teach the class.

* * *

After theater class, Jade walked toward detention. She was glad that the auditions for the school play weren't until later. She wouldn't have missed them, even if she had had detention, but this way her detention time wouldn't be extended for missing it in the first place. She turned the knob on the familiar door and walked in. She was surprised when Sister Caterina wasn't the only one there. To her dismay, Jake, Beck, Chloe, the brunette from the party, and another girl she didn't know, where there. She sat down in her usual seat, three rows in front of Jake, thinking about the odds. Sister Caterina looked up when her new detainee walked in. She smiled at the girl who sported her usual scowl. "Miss me?" Jade asked, off-handedly.

Sister Caterina smiled. "I could ask you the same thing."

Jade huffed at the implication. Sister Caterina then addressed all the students, "You can work on your homework, just sit there doing nothing or read, but please be mindful."

Jade pressed her lips when Sister Caterina looked at her as she mentioned the second choice. Everyone but she and Beck groaned at the options Sister Caterina had listed. "That's boring," Jake said.

"It's detention," Beck pointed out.

"Whatever, Aladdin," Jake replied.

"So much for mindful," Beck mumbled.

Sister Caterina gave them all a pointed look, successfully shushing the students. Each proceeded to do their own thing, while Sister Caterina pulled out her book and read. Jade looked out the window, thinking that she would rather be outside gardening with Sister Caterina than sitting in a room with her peers, most of whom she had no interest in being around. Her gaze traveled to her left, feeling eyes on her. Chloe was looking at her. Jade had barely seen her in the past two weeks and had not once acknowledged her existence. Just as they were looking away from each other, Jake asked, "See something you like, Jade?"

Jade's jaw clenched, having had more than enough of the guy. "Jake," Sister Caterina warned.

Jake stayed quiet for a moment but then added, "Maybe if you look back here you'll see something you like."

Jade turned around as Sister Caterina opened her mouth to reprimand him, but was beat by Jade. "Listen, _guy_," she emphasized the last word as if it was a questionable matter, then continued, "I'm not interested in your penis, even if it's as nonexistent as your brain. So why don't you go salivate over a girl that doesn't know how empty your skull is."

Jake's face tightened as he was affronted by Jade's words. Before he could collect himself and respond, Sister Caterina said, "Jade."

Jade turned around and was given a pointed look by Sister Caterina, but the nun said nothing more to her. Then she turned to the boy and said, "Jake, I will not have you harassing anyone. After detention head on over to Father Eichner's office. We'll have a discussion about this."

"But," Jake started.

"But nothing," Sister Caterina shut down his protest.

Jake, indignant, said, "I get sent to the principal's office  
and she gets nothing?"

Sister Caterina looked at Jade then back at him. "She can stay another half hour with me and think about her choice of words, but perhaps you should show better judgment if you don't want people questioning your intelligence."

Jake huffed back into his chair and crossed his arms. Jade smirked and allowed herself to give Sister Caterina a small benefit of doubt; maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

Sister Caterina dismissed the students at the end of detention and reminded Jake to head to the main office and told him she would be there soon. The students, with the exception of Jade, headed out the classroom. Jade sat back in her seat with her arms crossed defiantly. Sister Caterina, seeing Jade's unwillingness to even think about her vocabulary, said, "I figured half an hour wouldn't change your mind."

Jade heard the smile in her tone, but didn't feel too bothered by it. She was still letting Sister Caterina have a moment for how she had handled Jake. But still said, "My choice of words was appropriate. If anything, I didn't tell him off enough."

"Most of the time you won't need to resort to insults to get your point across," Sister Caterina responded. "And nice words can get you a long way."

Jade scoffed at the idea. "I have to go down to the office to see about Jake. Would you like to come or should we call it a rain check?"

"Rain check," Jade answered.

After Sister Caterina set a new detention time, Jade grabbed her bag and walked outside. She headed in the opposite direction than the nun. By the lockers, Chloe was waiting for her. "Hey," she said.

Jade side-glanced her and kept walking past her. "I'm not interested in dating. I'm sure dating you is more hassle than I can handle," Chloe informed her.

"Then what do you want?" Jade asked, uninterested and curtly.

"Same thing you do," Chloe answered.

"I don't want anything from you, I already had it," Jade said.

"You can have it again."

Jade stopped walking and looked at her, about to repeat she didn't want it. But instead she started walking again, towards the restrooms, and said, "Come on."

* * *

After Jade cleaned herself in the empty restroom, she headed to her room to study the lines for her audition. When the time came, she walked down to the theater where they were being held. Several students were waiting their turn, scripts in hand, while a girl stood on stage, auditioning for the main role. She stumbled on her words and didn't deliver them convincingly. Father Erwin sat at a table in front of the stage, not bothering to take notes. "Thank you, Tina," he said when she finished and smiled politely at her.

After everyone before Jade had gone up, Father Erwin called her up. Jade walked on stage. "I'll be reading for Lady MacBeth," she said, got into character and performed the lines.

Father Erwin took notes as she performed, said "thank you" once she was done and smiled at her, impressed by her performance, despite the fact that he had seen her acting in class.

She walked off the stage with a smirk on her face. She didn't miss some of the looks she got as she left; she knew she had done great.

* * *

At dinner, she took a sip of her drink, wishing she could spike it, when Tori, Beck and Robbie sat in front of her and Jessica sat next to her. Jade turned to glare at her. The girl shrunk under the stare and slid down the bench to put more space between them. "Hey, Jade," Tori said.

Jade wondered why this girl was still so insistent on acting like the best of friends. She narrowed her eyes at the brunette then looked away. Her eyes caught Sinjin's, who sat some tables away. He raised his eyebrow at her in question and she rolled her eyes in response. She took a bite of her food and thought how peculiar it was that, while she hadn't exchanged many words with the boy, they could understand each other's facial expressions. "Your audition was great, Jade," Robbie said, shyly.

"What role did you try out for?" Jessica asked, looking at her.

"Lady MacBeth," Jade answered without any inflection in her voice.

"Oh," Jessica said, knowing that was the same role Tori had tried out for too, but then gave Jade a sincere smile.

"What about you guys?" she asked her friends.

"Banquo," Robbie answered.

"MacBeth," Beck said.

Jessica looked between Tori and Jade and lightheartedly said, "So you guys are each other's competition."

Jade looked at Tori and smirking said, "Not much competition."

Tori smiled at the snide comment, preferring to think Jade was only teasing, and trying not to take it to heart.

Outside the cafeteria, Tori asked, "Where are we going?"

"I'm going-" Jade started, intending to head to the bell tower, but then realized that they would want to tag along, so instead finished, "-away."

"Oh, come on, let's go to the rec room," Jessica said.

Jade glared ar her. In the time she had been at the school, she had not once stepped into that room and she didn't care to. Tori's phone went off then and she took it out to read the new text message. "Kristen says we should go to her room, some people are there," she said.

"We can't go in there," Robbie said.

Jessica chuckled. "Sure you can, you just have to be sneaky."

"Well, I don't want to get detention if we get caught," Robbie replied.

"Live a little," Tori told him jokingly, but smiled sweetly.

Jade started to walk away without any words. "You're not coming?" Tori asked after her.

Jade simply rolled her eyes and kept walking. In her opinion, it was a stupid question; obviously she wasn't going. She walked up to her room, rifled through her stash and went to bed with her flask.

* * *

The next day, Jade walked up to the bulletin board where the results for the play were posted and couldn't help smile when she saw she got the part. She walked off, not bothering or caring to see the other roles.

In Calculus, Beck turned around in his seat and congratulated her. She looked over at him, then her eyes traveled to Tori, who was just arriving to her seat. Tori smiled at her and congratulated her as well. She meant it, and figured if Jade had gotten the role than she had done a better job. However, underneath it all, she was a little thrown by not landing the lead. Father Erwin was a fair man. He liked giving people the opportunity to try and to prove themselves, therefore he didn't cast the same people for all the lead roles. But he also knew that the right person for the right job was key, so those that proved to be fit, which often meant skilled actors, got the roles. While Tori didn't land every role she tried out for, she often did. But she saw this as a positive challenge. She now had motivation to improve and maybe she could learn something from Jade.

She sat down on her chair and turned around. "Congrats on MacBeth, I knew you'd nail it," she said, smiling at her best guy friend.

He beamed at her. "Thanks. Congrats on Lady Macduff," he said.

She smiled at him then looked at Jade. "I guess you'll have to rehearse with us," she said, slightly teasing.

"Great," Jade mumbled.

"We'll rehearse after school with everyone, but we like to rehearse together after school too," Beck informed her.

Tori turned around, scribbled her number on a sheet of paper and ripped it off. She turned back around to face Jade. "Here, it's my number. You don't have to use it, but it's there if you want to."

Jade narrowed her eyes slightly, smiled and crumpled the paper. Tori smiled politely and turned back around as the teacher started the class.

* * *

At lunch time, Jade looked up from her food, just in time to see Sinjin, who had been recruited by Tori, approaching her table with his tray in hand. He raised his eyebrows at her and she looked behind him and saw he was followed by Tori, Jessica, Beck, Robbie and a surly looking Kristen. Jade easily guessed he had been dragged along by the smiling brunette.

Jessica, Beck, Tori and Sinjin sat on the bench in front of her, while Robbie and Kristen sat to her left. Robbie sat about two feet away from her, but she moved over a little more. "Hey," Sinjin said quietly to her.

Jade looked down at his food and teased, "Change of diet?"

He smiled and answered, "I like to spice things up once in a while."

Jade's lip twitched but she didn't allow herself to smile. "Are you helping us again this year?" Tori asked, looking at Sinjin.

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "With the play," she clarified.

"Yeah," he said, nodding, then turned back to his food.

Jade slightly raised her eyebrow, curious about how and why he would be helping them. Sinjin swallowed his food and said, "I'm in the theater tech club."

She smirked. "So you're a geek," she said.

He smirked back at her and said, "I prefer 'brain'."

Jade's smile fell when she noticed most of the eyes in their group were on them. Sinjin noticed too and went back to eating. In a couple of minutes, he said, "Well, this has been fun."

He stood up and grabbed his tray. "See you later," Tori said.

He nodded at them and left, as the others said bye. Once he was out of earshot, Jessica turned back around and said to the group, "He's really cute."

"Now that puberty hit him," Kristen said, then looked at Robbie and added, "I guess there's still hope for you."

Robbie shrunked and blushed. "Don't worry Robbie, you're cute, too," Jessica told him and he smiled in response.

"Yeah, like a little old man," Kristen teased him.

To which he slightly hung his head. He wasn't very good at talking to girls and it seemed, to him, that they always saw him as a friend only. He felt a pinch of jealousy towards Sinjin, who was past his scrawny stage. Jessica looked at Jade and asked, "Does he have a girlfriend?"

Feeling pestered, she answered, "Why don't you ask him."

Jessica was a little deflated at not having an answer. But she guessed he didn't, like Jade, he liked to keep to himself. Before anyone could say or ask anything else, Jade got up as she said, "Well, this hasn't been any fun at all."

She grabbed her tray and left without any more words. "Bye," Tori called after her, unsure.

Jade stepped outside and looked at her phone. She would like to head up to her room, but it would be a waste of time, so instead she walked over to the bell tower. She was surprised, but relieved, to find the spot empty.

* * *

Jade walked out of Physics with another detention slip due to her sitting posture. "New girl," a familiar voice called after her, but she ignored it.

"Jade," Mark said this time, but again, she ignored him.

He walked up next to her. "You can't pretend I don't exist forever," he said.

"I can for as long as you exist," she said.

He smiled. "I can be persistent."

Jade looked at him square in the eye then. "Dude, you sound like a stalker. I'm not interested, get it through your head."

"But you don't know me," he rebutted.

"And I don't want to," she replied.

"I could be the love of your life for all you know."

She scoffed and kept walking to her next class, while he watched her off, shaking his head and smiling.

* * *

After school, Jade sat in one of the chairs in front of the stage. She glanced over at Sister Caterina, who she had no idea why she was there. Father Erwin continue to explain about the play and rehearsal and then moved on to talk about the costumes. They had costumes, but some needed repairing, adjusting and some might need to be made from scratch. That's where Sister Caterina came in. She would be the one in charge of wardrobe. Jade raised her eyebrow at this information. Father Erwin proceeded to tell them that they would need to get fitted.

After giving the students a script, arranging the next meeting time and date, seeing who would need a new costume and taking measurements, they were dismissed. "We can do detention tomorrow," Sister Caterina said to Jade, as they stepped outside the theater, thinking about giving the girl a break.

"I'd rather get it over with now," Jade said, annoyed.

"All right," Sister Caterina said.

They headed to the shed, where Sister Caterina cleaned up and organized. Jade sat on one of the work benches. She crossed her arms and looked curiously at Sister Caterina. "Is there anything you don't do?" she asked caustically.

Sister Caterina turned around from her current task and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Gardener, costume designer, seamstress, soul savior," Jade said, churlish.

Sister Caterina smiled. "I like doing all that, I like to keep busy, and I'm capable."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "Thought pride was a sin, Sister," Jade jeered.

Sister Caterina only smiled and turned the question around. "What do you do?" she asked the girl.

"I spend my afternoons with a multi-tasking nun because everyone wants to control me," Jade answered.

"Control you?" Sister Caterina asked, with serious curiosity.

Jade was about to open her mouth, but instead looked out the shed, realizing she was starting to have a real conversation with the nun. So she ignored the question and the woman and just stared out into freedom.

That afternoon Jade took to her flask and skipped dinner. Laying on her bed, she grabbed her phone and texted the only number she had, begrudgingly, accepted.

"These restrooms are always empty at this hour," Chloe said, to inform the girl and to fill the silence.

Jade walked to the handicap restroom and stepped in. "Are you coming or am I doing this by myself?" Jade asked brusquely when the girl didn't immediately follow her in. Chloe walked into the stall, closed the door behind her and locked it, just in case.


	5. Chapter 5

I think I forgot to put a disclaimer after I reuploaded the chapters. . . do I really have to do one though? Obviously I don't own Victorious or its characters. I sure as hell wouldn't be doing this if I did. . . Oh and also, don't own The Lion King.

Mr. Allen is an actual person. Or, based off of a real person. He was my 10th grade P.E. teacher. I guess he fit in the walls of Sacred Heart. (p.s. not to confuse anyone, just in case, Jade is not in 10th grade.)

I want to say thanks for the reviews and all that jazz. I never ask for them, but as a writer (and person with a rather big ego) I do like and appreciate them. I FEED ON THEM. Lol jk. I also do appreciate constructive criticism, if anyone would like to impart some.

This chapter is a little...different. Sort of. Well, you'll see. Maybe. Anyway, hope you like it either way.

* * *

Tori walked up to Jade, who stood still, as the rest of the students played flag football. Tori twirled one of her orange strips of flag between her fingers. She dropped it once she reached Jade and said, "There's a party in town on Saturday; school's just starting there. Do you want to come with us?"

Jade turned her head toward Tori and gave her an incredulous and sardonic look; was this girl inviting her to a party when she made it obvious she didn't want to tag around them? Tori shrugged, understanding the look. "Just an option that's available, if you want it," she said.

Jade rolled her eyes and stepped away as she saw the group of running students approaching them. Tori joined them and tried to take the flag off the girl holding the ball. "Jade!" Mr. Allen called from the sideline.

Jade turned to her teacher, then walked toward him when he beckoned her. The dark-skinned man asked, "Why aren't you playing?"

"Because it's a stupid game," she responded.

"Come on, you have to participate. At least pretend to try," he said, then shooed her back into the field before she said anything else.

She walked back to the spot she had previously occupied with the same amount of lethargy. As she did, she saw Kristen giving her a look. Jade narrowed her eyes threateningly at the brunette. Maybe if it was tackle football she would be more interested in playing, she mused, as Kristen looked away.

* * *

Mark walked over to Jade, where she leaned against the wall of the girl's locker room, waiting for the bell to ring. He leaned on it next to her. "Hey, new girl," he said.

She ignored him. He smiled and then said, "Jade."

She looked off toward the cafeteria, willing the bell to ring sooner. "There's a party on Saturday in Harris, to mourn the end of summer. You should come. With me," he said, smiling.

"You still don't exist."

He chuckled. "It doesn't have to be anything serious, I'm all up for fun."

"Not interested."

"So it's true?" he asked.

Jade side-glanced him. "You're gay?" he asked, an unsure statement.

She scoffed. "Not because you won't go out with me, but come on, I'm hot," he said, motioning with his hands to his face and body.

"Forget it, Mark. You're barking up the wrong tree," Jake said having heard the last of his friend's sentence as he passed them by, walking toward a group of friends. "Just ask Chloe."

Mark disregarded his friend's comment and looked back at Jade. "Ignore him, he's still sore that she dumped him," he said.

Jade's eyebrows twitched slightly. Mark looked closer at her. "Am I barking up the wrong tree?" he asked.

"Even if you weren't, I'm way out of your league."

He chuckled, just as the bell rang. Jade internally thanked the bell and walked away. Mark shook his head and walked toward the same group of friends Jake had. _Too bad_, he thought.

Jade stepped toward the dining hall, but stopped before she entered. She knew it was highly likely that Tori and her friends would sit with her. She decided to get her lunch from the vending machines instead, and turned around, almost crashing into Sister Caterina. She smiled at Jade, who narrowed her eyes, out of habit and not having missed the tinkle of amusement in her eyes, and side stepped her.

Out in one of the gardens, laying on the grass and looking up at the sky, she stuffed her mouth with barbecue Lay's and Oreos, thinking about Tori and Mark's offers. She hadn't known that they were allowed to leave the property. She wondered if they could leave any time after classes or only on weekends; she would have to ask someone. She groaned at the thought. At least it seemed they weren't forced to go out with chaperones, she thought unamused but glad.

Sister Amelia walked back to her office when a flash of navy blue and white caught her attention. She turned to see what it was and saw Jade laying on the grass, stuffing a handful of chips into her mouth as she scowled at the sky. Sister Amelia looked at the pensive student for a moment. She couldn't help be a little amused at the fact that Jade even scowled at inanimate objects. Nevertheless, her thoughts turned serious as she continued on her way, wondering what exactly had Jade scowling.

* * *

Jade looked out the window, lost in her thoughts of leaving the school. Until Sister Chantal called her attention. "Ms. West, how many times do I have to remind you to sit properly?"

Jade rolled her eyes, but ignored her. "Ms. West," Sister Chantal repeated.

"I heard you," Jade said and turned to look at her.

They held each other's gaze for a couple of seconds before Sister Chantal said sternly, "Then sit up straight."

Jade crossed her arms and made no other movements. "Suit yourself," Sister Chantal said and walked to her desk to grab her detention slip pad. She wrote the girl a slip and indecorously placed it on her desk.

"You're giving me another detention? You can't tell me how to sit, how to hold myself, how to breathe. If you want to send me to the principal's office then do it."

"Okay, if that's what you want." She wrote another slip and placed it on top of the detention slip, and said, "After school you will be speaking to Father Eichner, I will be sure to let him know about your actions."

Jade scoffed. "My actions? The one that has a problem here is you. You seem to have trouble understanding that it's my body and I will sit however the hell I want," Jade responded, fed up.

"Watch your language."

"Or what?" Jade challenged.

Jade's back-talk was getting the best of Sister Chantal;and she couldn't let the girl undermine her authority like that, not under the gaze of the entire class. "I'll make sure to ask Father Eichner to contact a parent, see if they're happy with your behavior," Sister Chantal responded, trying to keep the upper hand.

Jade knew that was not an option. Her uncle would not be on her side; it would only be a step closer to her being sent to a military school. And what Sister Chantal said struck a chord in her, one that she pretended not to feel. But she wouldn't let her win. So Jade smirked and said, with vile, challenging again, "You do that."

Sister Chantal clenched her jaw and went back to the front of the class to continue her lecture, ignoring Jade's insistent belligerence.

"I've never seen anyone stand up to Sister Chantal like that," Mark said, walking next to Jade, as they stepped away from their Physics class.

Jade rolled her eyes at his presence. "You know, just cause you're gay doesn't mean we can't pick up girls together. I'm a great wingman."

Jade rolled her eyes a second time. "See you later, new girl," Mark said, smiling as Jade kept walking away and he stopped to turn down the hall for his next class.

* * *

After school, Jade walked into the main office, then stepped to the open door of Father Eichner's office; where he sat at his desk, and in front of him sat Sister Amelia. Jade hadn't expected both principals to be there, but disregarded the fact, not caring about the whole situation. Father Eichner looked at her, and smiling, said, "Please take a seat."

He motioned to his other available chair, next to Sister Amelia. Jade plopped down and crossed her arms. "Sister Chantal told us what happened today," Father Eichner started.

"She told you she was forcing me to sit the way she wanted?" Jade sneered, mockingly.

"You have to understand, Jade," Father Eichner started again.

"No," Jade interrupted. "She needs to understand that she has no say over that."

"I agree," Sister Amelia said, speaking for the first time, surprising Jade. "But she's your teacher, and there are better ways to resolve conflict. You don't have to resort to arguing when you have a disagreement."

Jade clenched her jaw, not wanting to do or not do such thing. "We spoke to Sister Chantal, she understands that she may have been too strict and that your posture is not a priority. But this is a two way street. You have to at least try," Father Eichner said.

Jade stared back at him with an expressionless, bored face. Father Eichner sighed imperceptibly and dismissed her. She got up, hung her bag on her shoulder and started to exit the room when she remembered, turned around and asked, "Did you call my uncle?"

"No, we didn't think it was necessary," Sister Amelia answered.

"Yet," Father Eichner added, lightly.

She turned back around and headed to detention.

She walked into the classroom where detention was held, which was starting to feel like another class, or an after school club, to her. She was thrown off when she entered the room and saw a nun she didn't know at the front of the room. She hesitantly walked to a desk, one directly next to the window. The nun looked at her and gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Jadelyn?" the nun asked.

Jade rolled her eyes and sighed. "Jade," she said, annoyed and tired.

* * *

She looked at the closed stall door in front of her. "How do you leave school?" Jade asked.

Chloe, who was on her knees, concentrating on Jade's zipper, looked up and asked, "Huh?"

"There's a party on Saturday," was Jade's elaboration.

"Oh. We're allowed to go out on weekends," she answered and went back to what she was doing.

"How?" Jade asked, as Chloe pulled down her jeans.

She looked up again, baffled at the topic of conversation and that Jade was talking at all. "Um, you have to fill a paper. Sign in and out. Write an emergency contact. That kind of stuff."

Jade rolled her eyes and internally berated the school; they even managed to make that tedious. Chloe waited a moment to see if Jade would say anything else, when she didn't she went on with her business.

Once they were done Jade walked out of the stall and said, "This was the last time."

"Why?" Chloe asked.

"I've had enough of Jake's seconds," she answered.

Chloe couldn't help but feel a twist in her stomach. Whether it was intended or not, it was insulting. As if she was something disposable. She understood what Jade and her had meant nothing, it was just sex, but making her feel like recycling was another thing. She pushed the feeling away and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Jade headed toward the door, ignoring the question. "I didn't sleep with him, if that's what you mean," Chloe said. Then added, "He wanted to and I didn't, that's why I broke up with him."

Jade's hand was on the door handle. Her movements had slowed; she hadn't just walked out, maybe as courtesy, she didn't know. But then she picked up the pace again, turned the handle and walked out the door. Chloe sighed, unsure of why she had bothered explaining. Or felt the need to.

Jade walked out of the restroom and down the hall. After a turn and another hall, she passed a particular classroom that made her back up. She looked in and saw a grand piano. She twisted the knob to find that the door opened.

* * *

Sister Caterina walked down the empty, dim hall of the school, but halted her steps when she heard a faint noise. She turned her head to the right, to the hall that ran perpendicular to the one she stood in, where the sound was coming from. She turned into the hall and followed the sound. As she kept walking she could make out what it was. It was music. She continued to follow it, curious about the source and odd timing. Further down the hall she saw a lit classroom. The music room. She walked up to it and stopped at the doorway and looked through the open door. Inside, she saw Jade playing the piano, the girl's back was to her. Jade was enthralled in what she did. Her eyes were closed and her fingers moved expertly on the white and black keys. All she knew in that moment was the music she played. Sister Caterina smiled at the sight and song. She was amazed at how beautifully Jade played. Jade reached the end of the song and listened to the lingering echo of the music. She was startled when she heard the quiet clapping behind her. She turned around to find Sister Caterina by the doorway. "You're really good," Sister Caterina said.

"I know," Jade replied, with a smirk on her face.

"But you're not supposed to be here at this hour."

Jade's smirk grew and she repeated, "I know."

"Come on," Sister Caterina said and motioned with her head toward the hall.

"You don't want me to play another song?" Jade teased, with the smirk still on her face and a raised eyebrow.

Sister Caterina looked at her for a moment, feeling something off. The girl's gaze wasn't as focus as it usually was. Not as intense. "Another time," Sister Caterina answered.

"It's a one-time deal," Jade said as she stood up and walked toward the door.

"Are you drunk?" Sister Caterina asked, plainly.

As Jade crossed the threshold, she turned to look at Sister Caterina. "No, ma'am," Jade responded derisively and saluted her.

She walked into the hall and headed toward her room. Sister Caterina looked at her as she retreated. Jade wasn't slurring her words or stumbling and her breath hadn't reeked of alcohol, but it did have a hint of it behind the smell of mint. Maybe it hadn't been enough for the girl to be intoxicated, but she was still certain the girl was drunk. Sister Caterina started to walk after Jade, to make sure the girl made it to her dorm building.

Outside, in front of the dorm buildings, Jade turned to Sister Caterina and said, "I don't need a guard."

Sister Caterina stopped walking but watched as Jade entered the building. At the half-open door, Jade held onto it, turned her head toward the nun and narrowed her eyes at her, then entered. Sister Caterina couldn't help smile and be amused at Jade's need to constantly show her discontent through narrowed eyes and scowls.

* * *

Mr. Allen took attendance of his third period P.E., then gave them instructions for their activity. Jade felt herself become furious, not having missed the look she had received. No matter how subtle he had tried to, Mr. Allen had that same look Mr. Barry, her Calculus teacher, had given her earlier in the day. She knew what it meant, and she was sure she would see it again during the day, most likely for the following days. With the exception of Father Erwin, who rarely had it, and possibly Sister Chantal, who hated Jade. Out in the field her anger didn't diminish, so when the ball fell in her hands, she took advantage and threw it against the closest person in the opposite team. Mr. Allen blew his whistle and said, "Foul."

He called on her while the rest of the students continued the game. She walked up to him, a deep scowl on her face. "That's not how you play the game," he said.

"Then how?" she shot back angrily.

He sighed and before he could say anything else, she said, "You can wipe that look off your face."

Then she walked off the field and towards the locker room. "Jade," he said patiently as she turned away.

"Jade," he called after her when she didn't turn back and kept walking.

The doors to the locker room were locked from the outside while the class was in session, so she sat down, leaning against the wall. After a minute or two, Mr. Allen approached her. "I'm leaving," she said when she saw him and got up.

"You can't leave," he said, his tone staying the same as before.

"Watch me," she said and starting to walk off.

"Jade," he said, more firmly this time.

"What?" she said, rasing her voice as she turned around. "I can't leave or what? You're going to give me detention?"

"If you leave I have to," he responded.

She scoffed. "Maybe you should just stay here," he suggested.

She scoffed again. He sighed. He knew letting her slide wasn't the right thing, nor what she truly wanted. He felt sorry for giving her the impression that he had; no knowledge should have changed his demeanor towards her. But he knew apologizing would only make it worse. He lifted his clipboard in front of him and wrote her a detention slip, then tore it from the pad and handed it to her. She took it, almost ripping it from his hand and sat back down. He gave her one last look before walking back to the field. Jade crumpled the piece of paper in her closed hand and waited for someone to open the locker room door.

* * *

Tori walked, tray in hand, with her friends toward Jade's table. But she made sure to give the girl space. They sat to the side; not with her, but next to her, so if she wanted to join, she could. While Jade would prefer for them to stay farther away, she was too tired to be too annoyed. She looked ahead toward Sinjin. He hadn't been around by the bell tower much, so when their eyes met Jade slightly tilted her head, motioning to the spot in front of her. Sinjin raised an eyebrow but got got up without a second thought, not about to question the gesture or give Jade time to change her mind. He settled in front of her and said, "Hey."

She nodded her head in response, then curtly asked, "You're going on Saturday?"

He took a bite of his food and nodded. "Got a car?"

He nodded again. "Now you got a passenger," she said.

He smirked, chewing on his food. "Maybe you guys can hang out with us," Jessica said, looking at Sinjin then Jade.

Jade rolled her eyes and Sinjin gave the girl a quick smile, but said nothing. The group went back to their conversation, while Jade and Sinjin ate quietly, only breaking the silence to discuss time and meeting place. At a pause in their group conversation, Jessica asked, "So do you have a girlfriend, Sinjin?"

He looked at her, caught off by the question but his cool expression didn't show it. "No," he answered.

"Are you gay?" Kristen asked, contemptuously, shooting a quick glance at Jade.

Sinjin saw that almost everyone else in her group was looking at him, wondering. "No," he said, to none of them in particular.

He turned back to his food but was asked another question by Jessica. "Do you like anyone?"

Sinjin looked back at her. "Nothing serious," he answered and shrugged.

"Who is-" Jessica started to ask when she was interrupted by Jade.

"If you want to ask him out then just fucking do it and cut the fucking Spanish Inquisition."

Jessica's shoulders shrunked at Jade's harshness and her face turned red. "I wasn't.." Jessica trailed off and looked down at her plate.

Jade rolled her eyes and decided to leave the cafeteria. Several minutes later Sinjin joined her behind the bell tower. He sat next to her, pulled out a cigarette and offered it to her. She shook her head. He raised a curious eyebrow. "Teeth," she said, distantly.

He nodded. He himself didn't like smoking too often or on a regular basis. He put the cigarette away, not wanting to make Jade inhale his smoke. "There's rumors about you," he said casually, leaning back on the wall and bending his knees up.

She said nothing and kept looking ahead. "I am gay," she said, after a long pause.

He nodded. "I guess that invalidates the rumor about you liking Mark," he said, jokingly.

Surprising herself, and him, she chuckled at his words and the rumor. He smiled and glanced at her. His smile grew at seeing the smile remaining on her face.

* * *

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" Jessica asked Tori, keeping her company while the girl waited her turn for rehearsal.

Tori shrugged. "I don't know yet. You?"

"I don't know either," she said sullenly. "I wish I had a boyfriend so we could go matching."

Tori chuckled and said, "You don't need a boyfriend for that."

"I know, but no one else wants to," Jessica said, sighing dramatically.

Tori smiled and shook her head. At a change in lighting in the scene that was being rehearsed, her attention was drawn to Sinjin. She looked up at him, who was up on one of the hanging catwalks, making sure the lighting and sound effects were just right. He looked between the stage and the switchboard in front of him, a concentrated look on his face. Tori couldn't help but think about how attractive he was. Puberty really suited him, she noted. "You can see his eyes better since he lost the glasses," Jessica mused.

Tori looked at her, lost for a second, then realized what Jessica was talking about. But she didn't have to reply, as Jessica spoke again. "He has really pretty eyes," she commented as she looked back at the stage.

"Maybe you should ask him to wear a matching costume with you," Tori teased.

"Ha ha," Jessica said, unamused and shooting Tori a look.

Tori smiled and they turned back to the stage. Robbie walked over to them and sat next to the brunette. "How much longer until your scene?" he asked her.

"They're almost done," she responded, as she watched Jade.

"Do you think it's true?" he asked his friends as he also watched Jade. "That she's, you know."

Jessica and Tori looked over at him and smiled sympathetically. He missed their looks, keeping his eyes on the stage. Both girls felt for him, sure that he didn't have a chance either way. "Great," Father Eichner said and clasped his hands in front of him when Jade and Beck finished their scene.

He gave them feedback before they walked off the stage, then turned around to call on Tori. Beck went over to sit with his friends, while Jade sat in the front row, waiting for rehearsal to end so she could leave. She'd had a long day and her detention with the silent nun had not helped. She was ready to be done with the day.

* * *

Jade sat on the windowsill with her legs on the porch and a bottle of vodka in her hand. She took a swig and barely grimaced. She was used to the taste and had already numbed most of her tongue. She looked out at everything that laid ahead. The woods, the gardens, the bell tower, the sky. She looked up at the bright shinning stars.

_Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?_

_... Well, somebody once told me that the great kings of the past are up there, watching over us. _

She chuckled at the dialogue that popped into her head and took one last drink from her bottle before tossing it on the bed and walking to her trunk for something else. She rummaged through it and took from another item she had stashed. She knew she couldn't be caught with it, so she stuffed a towel under the door and closed the window while she smoked. After several hits, when she felt as if imaginary waves pushed at her, she stashed it back into her trunk; and after a couple more minutes she re-opened her window.

She looked at the porch, wanting to sneak out, but even in her intoxicated state she had enough sense to know that would be a bad idea. Breaking her neck wasn't something she was interested in. _What a dumb way to die_, she thought. Jade remembered weeks ago Tori and her friends had sneaked out from the hall, if she stayed quiet she could go out undetected.

She walked out of the building and walked around the gardens for a couple of minutes until she unintentionally arrived at the one that caught her attention in particular. She looked at the striped carnations for a moment, then stuck her hand in her pocket, remembering that it contained a pair of scissors. She took them out and looked at the carnations with a smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

My sincere apologies for neglecting this story as much as I have. I'll try to do better with the next chapter. Though I can't make any promises.

I've changed the rating from T to M because it's starting to seem more appropriate.

Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows.

I'm dedicating this chapter to those of you who, like me, can't stand your family. Hopefully this update will provide a distraction so you can tolerate the holiday.

* * *

Sinjin drove on the gravel driveway that led out of the school, pulling over where Jade waited. She opened the door and got in without a word. Out of the school property and on their way into the city, Sinjin asked, "Anywhere else you'd like to go?"

Jade stayed quiet for a moment; there was. But she didn't like it. Reluctantly, she told Sinjin, who didn't ask any questions and willingly complied, where she needed to go.

Half an hour later, after their errand, they arrived at the house with the blasting music and full parking. Sinjin looked at her and, thinking she might not enjoy being around a bunch of drunk strangers, offered, "We can go somewhere else."

There was no place in this city that called Jade's attention. At least inside the house before them there was alcohol, and maybe other substances, too. She shook her head in answer, got out of the car and walked into the house, Sinjin following suit. Inside, he quickly spotted one of his town friends and went over to talk to him, leaving Jade to do her own thing. She moved her way through the standing bodies, the dancers and the ones engaging in physical contact. She gagged at the last. PDA was on her list of most hated things. She made her way to the alcohol table, where she found Jessica and Tori pouring drinks for themselves. "Hey," Jessica said, with a small, cautious smile.

Tori gave the girl a similar smile, as her way of acknowledgement. Jade glanced at them but said nothing. "Hi, Jade," Robbie said, joining his friends at the table and waving a half-raised hand at her.

She shot him a narrow-eyed look then walked away, having gotten what she went there for. Robbie looked after her dejectedly. Tori and Jessica wondered why he crushed on girls that weren't interested in him. _Then again, who's ever interested,_ Jessica thought. Tori patted Robbie's back sympathetically.

Jade walked over to a couch and plopped down, not feeling inclined to talk to any one of the party-goers or dance next to the grinding teens. She looked down at her drink, red liquid still stirred from the previous movements. She raised the cup to her lips and drank it all. The faster she got drunk, the better. She placed the empty cup on the end table next to the couch and remembered she hadn't come alone. But she dismissed the tiny feeling of mindfulness that had coursed through her. She didn't feel bad; she could handle herself and her alcohol, no matter how much of it she had. She placed her left hand on the arm of the couch, about to push off of it, when Mark sat next to her. He looked at her, his pearly teeth showing as he smiled. "There's someone I think you'll like to meet," he said.

Seeing her doubtful, uninterested face, he said, "Or she'll like to meet you."

He looked toward his friend and waved at her to come over. Jade looked up, ready to walk away from them, when her eyes landed on a blonde. She had shiny long curly hair, plump lips, long lashes and long slender legs. As offerings went, it was a good one, Jade thought. "This is Claire" - Mark said motioning to his friend, then to Jade - "Claire this is-"

"Doesn't matter," Jade interrupted him.

She got up and grabbed the blonde by her wrist and pulled her to the dance floor. She still hated all the bodies around her, but now she had one of her own to grope.

* * *

In a dark room, in a stranger's bed, Jade laid on her back, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't deny that sometimes she got some pleasure out of it. Chloe had certainly known her way around. But the other three cups of mostly vodka she had had so far and the numbness she always clung to, made it impossible for the blonde (and those that preceded her) to truly reach her. Jade looked down at the shiny blond hair, some of it fanned over her right thigh. The girl's right arm moved fast, her fingers curved inside of Jade. Her tongue made quick circles over Jade's button. She looked back up at the ceiling, barely any sounds coming out of her mouth. Her heart sped up and she tensed up briefly. After a couple of seconds, the blonde pulled out and went up to Jade's level. She leaned down to kiss her, but Jade moved her head away, not wanting to taste herself on the girl's lips. The girl mumbled a sorry and wiped her lips, flopping down on her back. Jade turned over on her side; she slipped her left hand inside the girl's skirt and entered her without warning, smirking when the girl let out a groan that was a mixture of pain and pleasure. Jade felt her heart beat faster at her current activity than the previous one. She pushed harder, taking gratification in the harshness of her movements. She enjoyed how the girl gripped the sheets and groaned, but only seemed to want more of Jade's roughness. Jade didn't fail to deliver it.

After scrubbing her hands in the restroom, Jade headed to the kitchen for another cup. There she encountered Sinjin, who saw her and raised a shot glass and his eyebrow, questioningly. She smiled and nodded. He filled her shot glass and handed it over. Jade licked her hand and extended it so he could pour salt on it. He handed over the other shots he had served for the waiting party-goers and shook salt onto their hands. Jade licked the salt off her hand, shot back the drink and bit into a slice of lime. Sinjin looked at her, impressed; she hadn't even grimaced. She smirked and asked, teasing, "You the bartender now?"

He smiled and answered, "Another responsibility that falls on the designated driver's shoulders."

She gave him a small smile, shook her head and thrust the shot glass toward him, wanting a refill. Several shots later, Jade headed out into the backyard for some fresh air. Sinjin, not interested in pouring any more drinks and having to answer nature's call, headed to the restroom. He stood behind Kristen who waited her turn. She leaned her head against the wall, her temples throbbing, feeling like she could barely stand. She knew someone had come stand next to her, but she felt that if she turned to see who it was, her world would spin faster than she could handle.

The restroom door opened and the occupant walked out. Kristen lifted herself from the wall and started to step into the bathroom, but tripped over her own foot. Sinjin launched to catch her, almost falling over himself in the process. He managed to grab her by the arm and back of her shirt before she met the floor. "Shit," she said, after burping and feeling her stomach ready to return its contents.

Sinjin lifted her up and helped her into the restroom. "Shit," she repeated, scrambling to lift the lid off the toilet.

Sinjin hurried to grab her hair to keep it clean as she vomited into the bowl. Kristen spat into the toilet, trying to get the vile taste and last bits out of her mouth. "You should drink some water," he said and started to get up to go get a cup for her, but stopped when she gripped his arm.

She didn't say anything but tried to get up. He helped her walk to the sink so she could rinse her mouth. When they started to head out and he saw that she was too wobbly, he lifted her into his arms and walked into the kitchen for the cup of water. "What happened?" he heard Jessica ask behind him.

He turned around to find her and Tori looking at them with concern. The girls walked closer as he answered, "She's not feeling well. She threw up."

Tori pulled out a chair for him to sit her down. Despite the situation, Jessica couldn't help but ogle the muscles that showed through the arms of his shirt. Having the same thought as Sinjin, Tori grabbed a glass from a cupboard and filled it with water. "Maybe we should go," Jessica said, snapping out of her gaze.

Tori nodded as she helped Kristen drink. "I guess I'll go look for the guys," Jessica said.

She started to walk toward the entrance of the kitchen when Jade walked through the swinging doors. She looked at the scene in front of her before her face turned into an expression of utter disinterest. "You ready?" Jade asked Sinjin.

He nodded and looked over at Tori. "We can take you, if it's easier for you," he offered.

Jade's eyes widened at his words, then narrowed at the olive-skinned girl. Tori looked from him to Jade, knowing the girl would not like the idea at all. She saw Jade's disgruntled look and hesitated, then looked down at Kristen, then back up at Sinjin. She nodded, taking his offer. "Thanks," she said, smiling gratefully.

Tori moved to get Kristen up, but Sinjin offered to carry her and lifted her up again. Jessica walked in front of him to open doors, while Tori texted Beck that they were leaving and not to worry; she explained the situation after Beck asked what had happened. Jade walked behind them, her arms crossed and her face having a look of annoyance.

Outside the residence, Jessica and Tori helped Sinjin put Kristen in the car. Once she was settled, they got in and buckled up. Jade got in the front passenger seat, put on the seatbelt and crossed her arms again. She was annoyed at having to share the same enclosed space with the girls. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the school. "We'll take it from here," Tori told Sinjin and thanked him again.

She and Jessica got Kristen up and walked her up to their dorm. Jade grabbed the bag she had picked up during her errand and headed to drop its contents off.

* * *

Sister Caterina walked to one of the gardens with a content smile on her face. She loved helping the cafeteria staff prepare the meals for the students and faculty. She tried to do it every chance she got. That morning she had gotten the opportunity. She had spent most of her day in the kitchen, helping them make breakfast, cleaning up and then helping them with lunch. Now she took to another of her favorite activities, gardening. That afternoon she was starting off with the striped carnations. She walked to the flower bed, ready to water them and pluck the withered petals. But she stopped short when she got close enough to notice something was wrong. It seemed someone had already plucked them, except the petals were crudely cut. The beautiful, well-taken-care-of flowers were now chopped. It looked like a bad, sloppy haircut. She stared at the deformed flowers for a moment, wondering what had happened. Then it hit her. She remembered the bags of seeds that had been left against the door of the shed. The seeds were offerings. Maybe an apology. She breathed out and looked at her watch. 12:21. She should be up by that time, Sister Caterina thought; she had a feeling she knew who the culprit was.

Jade opened the door to her room and found Sister Caterina on the other side. Jade rolled her eyes and walked in, leaving the door open for Sister Caterina to follow her. The nun stepped in, but stayed by the entrance. Jade sat back lazily on her bed, resting her head on the wall. For once, Sister Caterina's face wasn't adorned with her bright smile. "What?" Jade asked curtly, not liking Sister Caterina's stare on her, especially with the serious look she carried.

"Why did you do that?" she asked the girl.

"I was drunk," Jade answered nonchalantly.

Sister Caterina sighed. "I left you seeds," Jade said, annoyed, looking away.

She felt a pinch of guilt over her actions and didn't like that Sister Caterina was bringing it up. Sure, she deserved that, but she didn't have to like it. "That's not enough," Sister Caterina said. "You know that."

"What do you want then?" Jade demanded, darting her eyes back to her.

"You're going to garden with me. You'll plant the seeds and take care of them. And you'll fix the ones you ruined."

Jade exhaled. "Whatever," she said, looking off to the side.

"Jade," Sister Caterina said in a firm, yet soft voice.

Jade looked back at her, then away. She couldn't say it while she looked at Sister Caterina. "I didn't mean to," she said, as her form of apology, her voice no longer full of irritation.

Sister Caterina saw that she meant it and felt bad about it, even if she was trying not to show it. She also saw that, for a brief moment, Jade's walls weren't completely up. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow after class at the shed," she said and walked out.

Jade breathed out again and got up to change out of her sleep wear and head down to the cafeteria.

She filled her plate and sat near the entrance, the second less occupied spot aside from the tables close to the teachers. Her first bite of food went down like a rock when the sight of Sister Amelia reminded her that she had to attend mass. But it wouldn't be so bad after she got a hold of her stash, she thought.

At that moment, Kristen, Tori and Jessica walked in. Much like Jade, they had just recently woken up and their first stop had been the dining hall. Beck and Robbie waved at them from a table farther down the cafeteria. Kristen looked at the food, torn between being hungry and needing it, and feeling nauseated at the sight and smell. "You really should eat," Tori told her, seeing the grimace on her face.

"And drink lots of liquids," Jessica piped in.

Kristen rolled her eyes, but obliged, making sure to pack on the carbohydrates and getting a big cup of orange juice. Though she wasn't too sure she would even finish any of it. Or eat much at all. "What did you drink anyway?" Jessica asked.

It wasn't the brunette's first time not being able to handle her alcohol, but it wasn't a common occurrence either. "I don't even know," she responded. "Last time I drink one of Jake's weirdly colored drinks."

Tori shook her head. She always refused those drinks, figuring they were a messy mix of every alcohol he could find. Tori looked around the room, wondering if Sinjin was there. She wanted to thank him again for his help. As she scanned the place, her eyes landed on Jade; she looked as discontent as always. Tori wondered for a moment if she should invite the girl to join them, but thought better of it. She wasn't in the mood to be rejected.

Jade finished her meal and headed outside to see her handiwork. She looked at the chopped flowers. She remembered it. She had been aware of what she was doing, in fact, it had felt good. She clenched her jaw and pushed away the thought that it didn't feel so good now. Her eyes raised when she heard someone approaching. Sister Caterina, who had dirt on her hands and knees, stood by Jade, looking at the flowers as well. She looked over at Jade and asked, "Do you want to fix them now?"

Jade only nodded. Shears in hand, she looked at the carnations, then she looked over at Sister Caterina, who was dropping nutrients in the potted plants. "I think I'm going to leave them bald," Jade said, seeing the she would have to remove a lot of the petals.

She had hacked off a lot of the petals of the most easily accessible carnations, it looked like she had worked on a gradient; the choppiness decreasing as it neared the right side of the flower bed. Sister Caterina looked over at her then the flowers, then back at Jade, and said, "It seems that way. But they'll grow back."

Jade nodded and set to work. She thought about how Sister Caterina didn't seem mad about her doing anymore. A part of her was surprised; clearly the flowers were something Sister Caterina cherished, and she had defiled them. She had originally been upset and was punishing Jade. But now it appeared that she had let it go, and Jade was sure that it wasn't because the flowers meant less than she had guessed, but merely because it was preferable for the nun to forgive than to stay mad.

* * *

Fumbling for her phone, Jade finally hit the off button on the alarm. After helping Sister Caterina with the carnations, she had decided on a nap. Now it was time for mass. Of course, not before she made sure intoxication was her current state of being.

This time she had come better prepared to the church; she wore earphones that traveled under her shirt and were covered by her long, flowing hair. She sat with spread legs and crossed arms. She closed her eyes and wondered if she could nap and if she did, if Sister Amelia would wake her up and punish her with more mass or something of the like. Her eyes opened when she felt a body sit near her. She turned her head, thinking maybe Sister Amelia had seen her intentions and was ready to give her an earful. But instead of the nun, she found Sinjin, who smiled at her in greeting. She raised her eyebrows in reciprocation to his hello.

As Father Eichner read something from the bible, something from Sinjin's peripheral vision caught his attention. He glanced over and saw that Jade's phone had earphones plugged in. He smiled, amused, and wished he had a way to disguise earphones. He sighed and looked ahead, barely paying attention to what Father Eichner said. Jade glanced over at him; he also sat with his arms crossed and had a bored look on his face. The corner of her mouth moved upward at seeing his demeanor.

Halfway through the sermon, Sinjin felt a nudge against his leg. He turned to look at Jade. She was staring ahead, looking bored. His eyes traveled down where he'd been nudged and saw she was holding the screen of her phone toward him. On the notepad app she had typed a message.

_I think Jessica's in love with you. _If Sinjin had denied being utterly shocked in that moment, he would have been lying. He knew Jade wasn't a one-dimensional person, that was an obvious fact to him, but this was a side of her he hadn't seen or had expected to see. Jade was being playful. Sure, there was teasing in that sentence, but it was void of scorn and it wasn't condescending. He quickly recuperated and smiled at the poking comment. He took out his phone, inconspicuously looked around to see if anyone was looking in his direction, and typed a message of his own.

_As opposed to you, who has the entire student body at her feet. _He rested his hand on the pew, next to his thigh, and tilted the phone's face toward Jade. She glanced down at it and read his response. Sinjin heard her quiet deprecating snort and smiled. He looked over at her and saw a small smile on her face. No hard-earned A had ever made him feel as accomplished as getting a genuine smile from Jade did.

Walking outside after the sermon, Kristen cleared her throat. "Sinjin," she called to the boy, who was some steps ahead.

He stopped and turned around. Jade decided to stop too, knowing Kristen would hate it. Kristen, accompanied by Tori and Jessica, reached him and glanced at Jade, not happy to be doing this in her presence. "Thanks," she said sincerely to Sinjin.

She had too much pride to say more, but they all knew what she was thanking him for. He gave her a tight smile and turned to continue on his way. Jade smirked before turning around and leaving too. "Why don't you guys come hang with us?" Tori asked.

Sinjin glanced over at Jade. He figured she wouldn't want to hang out with the girls, but it didn't sound like such a bad idea to him. "Sure," he said.

"Jade?" Jessica asked, cautiously.

She thought about it for a moment, then said, "I have to get something from my room first."

She needed to replenish the substance in her body before hanging out with them. "I'm going to sleep," Kristen announced and walked off to the dorms.

* * *

Jade, Sinjin, Tori, Jessica, Beck and Robbie sat on the stage of the auditorium. "We should play spin the bottle," Robbie suggested.

Jade rolled her eyes. _Of course_, she thought. "No," Tori replied for everyone.

"Well, I'm glad I came, this is so much fun," Jade said, full of sarcasm.

They had been there several minutes and still hadn't come up with a good idea on how to spend their time.

"We should tell ghost stories," Jessica said, excited at the thought.

That was an idea Jade didn't hate, though she doubted any of them could tell a good story. "I don't know any," Robbie said.

_Of course,_ Jade thought again. "Just recite the plot of one of those old scary movies you watch," Jessica told him.

Jade rolled her eyes again, already bored, and thought about how she could have texted Chloe instead; that would have been a better way to kill time than her current activity, she figured. "I'll go first," Jessica said and started her tale.

After a couple of weak stories, Jade left the group and walked out of the auditorium. She pulled out her phone then sent a text to Chloe.

_No_, came the response.

_I won't ask again_, Jade replied.

A couple of minutes later, came Chloe's text. _Fine._

Jade smirked and headed to their usual meeting place. "You changed your mind fast," Chloe said between kisses.

"I was bored," Jade responded, sounding just that, bored.

Chloe pulled back, her face unamused. She didn't want any more of Jade's careless, insulting words. Jade grabbed her by the arms and flipped them around, pushing the girl harshly against the wall. "Are you going to leave now?" Jade asked, disparagingly.

The brunette clenched her jaw, flipped them once more, pushing Jade with the same amount of force she had used. "No," she growled, before attacking Jade's neck.

She bit the pale neck hard, making Jade unable to hold back a groan. Chloe felt her skin heat up at Jade's reaction, and at holding her own. Jade couldn't deny that Chloe's assertiveness and roughness was hot. Maybe it hadn't been such a bad decision to contact the girl again.

* * *

Jade begrudgingly walked to the shed, not at all interested in spending her afternoons taking care of flowers and whatever else Sister Caterina did with the landscape. She reached her destination and saw the door wide open. She stuck her head in and saw Sister Caterina's father moving things around. Hearing her, Mr. Valentine turned around and smiled at her. Jade rolled her eyes at the Valentine smile. Sister Caterina didn't look much like her father, but the smile was the same. "Do you need help with something?" he asked.

"No. Sis-"

"I'm here," Sister Caterina announced her arrival.

She walked in and grabbed gloves and a shovel for Jade, who resentfully took them; she didn't like what her duty seemed to be that day. Sister Caterina gathered a couple more items and the bags of seeds and walked out to the empty flower bed. She instructed Jade to dig into the earth to make holes for the seeds. "Are you people incapable of frowning?" Jade asked, vexed, while she plunged the shovel into the soil.

Sister Caterina was a little caught off and made a guess on what had brought on the comment. She smiled and replied, "Tell you what? I'll frown more if you smile more."

Jade shot her an affronted look and retorted, "This is punishment enough."

Sister Caterina chuckled and started pouring the seeds onto the holes Jade had made.

Sister Caterina and Jade kneeled, bending over the freshly planted seeds, to cover them with the loose earth. She noticed that Jade wasn't wearing the gloves she had provided, which caused a small smile to form on her face. "Why did you pick pink carnations?" Sister Caterina asked curiously, wondering if there was a specific reason or if she had blindly grabbed the bags.

Jade was quiet for a moment, pushing down on the soil. "Mom's favorite," she answered.

Sister Caterina looked over at her. "She used to grow them. Her striped carnations were award winners," Jade said, distantly.

Then she cleared her throat and asked, "Are yours award winners?"

Sister Caterina felt a glint of ruefulness that barely showed on her face. She had a small smile on her face at the hint of teasing in Jade's voice. Knowing it was best to go along with the subject change, she answered, "No, it had never occurred to me."

"They could win," Jade commented. She glanced over at the now oddly trimmed striped carnations and said, "Well, they could have."

Sister Caterina let out a breath. "We have red carnations as well, you can enter those if you take care of them."

Jade scoffed. "No, thanks," she said caustically.

Sister Caterina smiled and said, "You could enter these once they've grown, since you're taking care of them anyway."

Jade gave her a displeased look and said, sarcastically, "Thanks for reminding me."

"My pleasure," Sister Caterina replied, as she finished patting the soil.

Jade narrowed her eyes at the woman's response, but a small smile appeared on her face when she looked down and her lips were hidden from view.

Sister Caterina dusted her hands off and stood up, then dusted off her garment. Jade got up and did the same. "You like getting your hands dirty, too," the nun commented.

Jade smirked and said, her words dripping with suggestiveness, "I like being dirty."

Sister Caterina shook her head. She walked right into that one. "Come on," she said and tilted her head, indicating for Jade to follow her.

They filled the watering-pot and returned to water the seeds. "All right, you can go now. I'll see you in rehearsal," Sister Caterina dismissed Jade.

Jade took out her phone, as she headed up to her room to change, and called her uncle. She had hated the idea since it formed, but she knew a short unpleasant conversation, if she could call it that, with the man would be worth it. If she got her way. Which she had no doubt she would. She could be obstinate when she wanted to be.

The phone rang a couple of times before his paralegal picked up. "I want to talk to my uncle," Jade grunted into the phone.

The woman, who was thrown back by Jade's tone, passed her through without question. "Hello, Jade," the man answered in his usual smug tone.

"I want a car," Jade said, getting straight to the point.

"What a way to ask is that?"

"The only way you're going to get," Jade sneered into the phone. "I want a car. It's my money."

"Asking nicely might help you get it," he said, his tone remaining the same. "Besides, you don't need a car. You're not going anywhere."

Jade clenched her jaw and took a second to compose herself. She wanted the ordeal to be done as quickly as possible, so she said, "I'm not the only one that has something to lose here. You wouldn't want the tabloids filled with your unruly niece. God, imagine that precious reputation of yours smeared."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Do you really want to try me?"

"You don't want to try my patience, Jade."

"And you don't want to try mine," she said, practically growling lowly.

"You won't have an allowance for a while," he conceded, after thinking better of it.

"Whatever," she replied.

She didn't care, she had enough. And she was more interested in being able to leave whenever and wherever she wanted. "The monthly garage and maintenance fee will be paid with your money," he added.

"Whatever," she repeated and hung up.

She breathed out and continued on her way. She smiled. Now she had a car; a car and some freedom.

* * *

Sister Caterina returned the tools to their spot in the shed and washed her hands before settling down under the shade of a big oak tree. She rested her back against the defined trunk of the tree and opened up her book, feeling content.

She shifted against the tree as her eyes finished reading the last sentence of another page. She flipped the page over, finishing the chapter she had been reading. "So you are sleeping with her," Sister Caterina looked up when her peaceful activity was interrupted by the starts of an altercation.

Jake walked along side an irked looking Chloe. "Drop it, Jake," she said.

"You don't waste any time," Jake jabbed.

She halted and turned around, angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Nothing, nothing. . . Now I know why you didn't want to sleep with me," he said, smugly and walked away from her.

Infuriated, she yelled after him. "Because you're a fucking sleaze ball jerk!"

Chloe started to turn around to walk in a different direction than him, when her eyes locked with Sister Caterina's, who had witnessed the whole scene. Her eyes widened slightly at being caught in such a compromising and personal argument, before it passed and anger over Jake's words filled her again. She stomped off, telling herself that at least this was the last year she would have to see Jake.

Sister Caterina pondered the situation for a minute. She got up and walked in the direction Jake had gone, trying to catch up to him. "Jake," she called as she caught up to him.

He turned around, his face questioning at being called. His eyes swept over Sister Caterina's face as she reached him. She was quite the looker. He was always disappointed at the fact that she was true to her vows; he imagined it would be quite the thrill to sleep with a nun, especially one like Sister Caterina. _What a waste of a pretty face,_ he thought.

Sister Caterina directed him toward a near-by bench so they could have a talk.


End file.
